Try Me
by Jazmin
Summary: Serena moves into a house with roomates Raye, Chad, and...Darien. He who she despises with all her might.
1. Try Me

Try me - part 1  
By Henra  
HenraM@tuxedomask.com  
PG rated  
  
Disclaimer…No, I don't own Sailor Moon. I'm just using the   
characters.   
  
Okay. Go read part one now. ^__^ =Henra.   
  
Part one   
  
**************  
  
Serena Kansie looked at the stuff in her hands. A bag of chips,   
a bottle of water, and a pack of candy…Just my luck that I ran out of   
things to eat at my last day in the dorm. Tomorrow, I'll be living in a   
house with new roommates…   
  
Then, she sighed. Her hands started to get a little sweaty.   
She sighed again and decided to concentrate on her shopping. I have   
food for tonight…that's the chips. She cringed when she imagined how   
her mother would've reacted if she knew. I have the water…and…oh…I   
need milk.  
  
Just for tonight…tomorrow, I would be at the new house…and   
Mina would be gone. At that thought, Serena fought not to cry again.   
She already cried two times today. Where's milk?  
  
Her eyes caught on a big board hanged from the ceiling on   
top of her. It read, "Aisle 4 - bread, wheat, cereals, crackers." She   
looked toward the board's left, and found another board that said,   
"Aisle 5 - milk, ice cream, yogurt, fast foods."   
  
"Ah-ha. There we go," Serena murmured to herself, and   
started to walk out of the aisle she was in.   
  
She reached the aisle 5, and started to glance inside the   
glass doors for milk as she walked along.  
  
Yogurt, yogurt, yogurt…more yogurt. Then, she spotted a   
carton of milk. Her eyes moved over a little bit farther, and she saw   
more kinds of milk. Her eyes were wide and confused. I never thought   
there would be only…SO many different kinds of milk! God…what did Mina   
use to buy?   
  
Serena sighed. She glanced at every single kind of milk there   
was. Some were in boxes, with two gallons packed inside; some were just   
one gallon of milk in a bottle by itself; and some were little cartons   
with a small amount of milk. I'll buy bigger ones after I completely   
moved in the house. She looked at the stuff she was holding in her   
hands. Glancing around, Serena put them down against the glass door   
near where she was standing. Then, eyes on the carton, she pulled   
open the glass door in front of her, and felt a wave of cool air brush   
against her face.   
  
She was ready to grab a carton of milk, when she noticed the   
expiration date printed on it. That's…the day after tomorrow. She   
sighed, and her eyes darted behind the carton that she was about to   
grab. I'm not going to finish it tomorrow morning anyway…so I might   
as well as pick a carton with expiration as late as possible. Her   
eyes moved down. Monday… Her eyes moved farther down. Next, next   
week… She smiled in satisfaction. This was the one. Uh-oh. She   
then realized something. The carton that she had her eyes on was…  
way inside the 'cooler'. Serena looked around, looking for someone   
to ask how she could get it. No one was in the aisle that she was in.  
  
Then, an idea popped into her head. Serena inhaled deeply and   
tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. And, glancing around one   
last time, she opened the glass door wide and stepped into the 'cooler.'   
Inside, it was pretty dark, she could see the milk only by   
borrowing the light that came through from the outside of the glass   
door. She spotted the carton that she had wanted. Nonfat, late   
expiration date, you, this carton of milk, are mine. Serena walked   
carefully around the piled boxes beside her, ignoring the cold air   
slipping through her thin shirt, and reached her destined carton of   
milk.  
  
She wrapped her fingers around the body of the carton, and   
gave it a lift.   
  
It didn't budge.   
  
Serena looked down at the carton, and frowned. "What the…"   
  
She tried to lift it again. It still didn't move. "Okay…  
this is totally weird."   
  
She glanced around, and tried to find another carton with   
the same expiration date. To her annoyance, the others' dates were   
all too early. I guess that was the only one left. Serena sighed to   
herself. It was getting colder by the minute. She looked toward her   
left, and her gaze landed on a stand-alone bottle of milk, and she was   
about to grab it when she realized that it was a low-fat kind of milk.   
  
She always drank the nonfat kind. She sighed. Looks like I   
have to buy two gallons of milk today. Her gaze fixed on the box   
next to the low-fat bottles of milk, and she was glad when she spotted   
'nonfat' printed on one of the boxes.   
  
She looked at the box. She couldn't see any e.d. She wondered   
if the two bottles inside the wrapped box's expiration dates were the   
same as the carton of milk that wouldn't budge. Well, there's only   
one way to find out. She leaned over, and placed a hand on the box,   
with the other, she tried to open the cardboard box.   
  
A small guilt went through her as she worked on getting the   
box open. I am going to buy this thing if the expiration date is okay…  
if there is one printed on the bottles. She told herself, shrugging   
off the guilt, If not…then… She decided not to think ahead.   
  
Then, a warm rush of air blasted from behind her, and Serena   
turned her head around, still leaned over low, eyes wide as she   
stared at the guy standing outside, hand holding on to the glass   
door.   
  
"Oh, my…" she murmured. She took notice of the green apron   
he was wearing, and knew that he worked in the supermarket. She   
cringed inwardly, wondering how the situation must've looked to him.   
  
"What the hell doing you think you are doing?" He barked.   
His midnight blue eyes flashed down at her, accusing and angry. He   
looked about her age…maybe a little bit older.   
  
Serena straightened up, turned fully around, and licked her   
lips. "I was…just getting the milk." She racked her brain for anything   
to say, to make the situation look better.   
  
His gaze flickered from her to the box that she had been   
working on just a few seconds ago, and then it came back to her again.   
"Yeah, but does getting the milk require OPENING the box here in the   
store? And…why in the world are you INSIDE, for god's sake?"   
  
"I…" She then closed her mouth, realizing that she had no   
idea how to defend herself.   
  
"Look, here, missy, if you had planned to buy that milk, then   
be my guest, go ahead and buy it. But if you did not, and just were   
opening the perfectly SEALED box for no reason at all…for fun,   
whatever--to annoy the store…you still need to buy it."   
  
Serena was about to go ahead and say "I'll buy it" but she   
closed her mouth when she fully registered his words. She narrowed   
her eyes at him. "Missy? For fun? Why would I do it for fun?"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "I don't know," he replied. "Now, why   
don't you just pick up the box and go to the counter?"   
  
Serena was about to retort with a biting remark, but then she   
felt a shiver going through her. She was getting cold. She crossed her   
arms over her chest. "Could you please move out of the way so I can   
get out of here?"  
  
"Sure…wouldn't want you to freeze. Otherwise, who would pay   
for that opened box of milk?" He stepped aside, although still holding   
the door.   
  
Serena stepped out, and sighed peacefully when she felt the   
warmth of the air surrounding her. He was still holding open the glass   
door, and was now looking at her. "Aren't you going to bring that   
box out, too?"  
  
"Look," Serena began, feeling anger rising in her body. "I   
didn't even finish opening the box…so it's not opened. And since it's   
not opened, I don't have to pay for it."   
  
"So, what you're saying is, if I hadn't come at that moment   
and caught you, you would've 'finished' opening the box, correct?" He   
slammed the door shut.   
  
Serena silently counted to five before she reacted. "Even if   
I had opened it, I still would've bought it."  
  
"Really?" The tone was beyond sarcastic.   
  
"Yes."  
  
"So, if you knew you still would've bought it--why did you   
even try to open the box in the first place?"  
  
"I…" Serena bit her lip, not about to tell him that she was   
trying to find the expiration date. "To see something."  
  
His midnight blue eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms. "Oh   
really? And what were you trying to see?"   
  
"Now that's none of your business, is it?"  
  
He smirked, but his eyes held her gaze, amused. "I don't   
believe you. Okay, so--fine, maybe you were trying to see something,   
but after you finished opening it, and saw it…you would've left the   
box there, new but opened."   
  
Serena glared at him. "Look, why are you even saying this? I   
did not open the box!"  
  
"Still. You need to buy it."  
  
"ExCUSE me?"  
  
"Look, I have no idea what you did back there, okay? So, in   
precaution, I ask you to buy the milk."  
  
Serena didn't answer, her gaze burning into his.   
  
Then, he abruptly turned away. "Are you going to buy the   
milk or not?" His voice was sharp.   
  
Serena still stared at him, then she snapped out of it. "Why?   
I don't want it, and you sure as hell cannot force me."   
  
He turned back to look at her again. "No?"   
  
"No," she replied firmly, crossing her arms over her chest.   
  
"Fine." He narrowed his eyes. "You say the box is not opened,   
and if it's not--you can pass this one, but don't you dare do it again.   
But if it is--then, you better get the milk and go to the counter."   
Then, he opened the glass door and stepped inside. Serena moved away a   
little, not wanting to feel the cold air again. She watched him as he   
bent over to look at the box she had been fumbling with before. He   
seemed to take a long time checking.   
  
Serena rolled her eyes. What was this guy's problem? It was   
just a box of milk. Five bucks. Big deal.   
  
He stepped out, and closed the door firmly behind him.   
  
She looked at him, a smug smile on her face as she looked   
at him. "So? Was I right? The box is NOT opened."   
  
He shrugged. "So it's not. And it better not be anytime   
soon…unless it's in your home." He started to walk away.   
  
Serena's jaw hit the floor. No way in hell was he going to   
walk away just like that. Not after the way he had treated her.   
"Well?" she cried out to him.  
  
He stopped walking. He turned around slowly, his eyes   
seemed piercing blue for a second when he looked at her, but then   
they changed to their normal coolness. "Well what?"   
  
"You found out that the box is not opened…yet you had yelled   
at me like that. Aren't you even going to apologize?" She didn't bother  
to hide the annoyance on her face.   
  
"Apologize?" He raised his chin a little, looking at her, a   
smirk pasted on his face. "Why should I? I was just doing my job."   
  
"Oh? And does your job include totally biting out remarks   
to me like that?"   
  
"Hey, try to imagine it in my place, yeah? I was just walking   
down the aisle, checking to see if everything's fine, when I see this   
dark figure INSIDE the cool room, bending over, hands fumbling with   
the supposedly SEALED opening part of a box of milk. What do you think   
the first thought that ran through my head was?"   
  
Serena swallowed. From that description, even though she   
hated to admit it--the situation then was not exactly a pretty picture.   
"Well…" she stuttered, "Do you think maybe when you asked 'What are   
you doing' you could've said a little BIT more nicely?"   
  
"I did ask you that…nicely. Except I added an additional   
word with 'the' after 'what'."   
  
She rolled her eyes.   
  
"Anyway, since there's no problem now that I can see--"  
  
"Clearly," Serena interrupted.   
  
He narrowed his eyes. "So is it okay if I go back to work?"   
  
"No. You owe my an apology." Serena was surprised at her own   
determined voice.   
  
"I already explained the situation to you, missy," he replied,   
sighing. He was getting pretty exasperated.   
  
"Listen, okay--whatever your rotten name is. I do NOT   
appreciate people calling me missy, all right?"   
  
"Whatever. And now you listen--I need to go back to work. So   
if you'll excuse me--"  
  
"Apologize first."   
  
"No." His gaze on her sharpened. "I don't need to. I was doing   
my job."   
  
"Yeah, your job. But maybe I could get the store manager and   
ask him or her if it is in the 'job' to have you treat a shopper   
harshly, just because she was trying to get something which was in   
the far back of the cool room, and was, well, okay--trying to get   
open a box of milk, but did NOT succeed--"  
  
"All right, just stop, okay! God! Sorry! There, I said it."   
He put up his hands, and slowly stepped away from her. "Why do you keep   
pushing it? But anyway--I apologize. Could you please leave me alone   
now?"  
  
Serena felt her cheeks flush, but refused to flinch. "I'll   
be glad to leave a scum like you."   
  
"Scum? Who do you think you are, missy?" A scowl appeared on   
his face.  
  
"I am NOT missy!" she practically screamed. Then, she   
silently counted to ten, and felt herself gradually calming down.   
When she looked up, he was still there, smirking at her. "I'll be   
going."   
  
"Oh, please--do not let me keep you." His voice was sugary   
sweet but dripping with sarcasm.   
  
Serena barely remembered to grab her bag of chips, water,   
and candy before she stomped away.   
  
Now I know which market I should NOT come often.  
  
  
  
"Mina?" No one was home. Serena tossed her keys on her bed,   
and stared at her friend's well-made, empty bed.   
  
She sighed sadly. Our last minutes together here, and she's   
not even home.  
  
Just then, a sound from the door made her look up. A   
blonde-haired head popped in, followed by a body. Mina Lallap glanced   
around, and her sapphire eyes landed on Serena. She closed the door,   
broke in a run across the big room, and grabbed Serena in a hug.   
  
Serena clutched her best friend, and could feel tears   
gathering in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much, Mina…"  
  
"Me, too. I mean, I-I'm going to miss you," Mina replied, a   
tear sliding down her cheek, landing on the back of Serena's midriff.   
  
"Write to me, okay?"   
  
Serena felt her nod.   
  
"Where were you?" Mina asked, her voice muffled.   
  
"I went to the super market."   
  
"What? Why?"   
  
"I need food for tonight and tomorrow. Where were YOU?"  
  
"I had to make a long-distance call from downstairs to my   
mother."   
  
"What time do you have to go again?"   
  
Mina gently released Serena and stared at her in the face.   
"7:30. I said that a million times already."   
  
"I know. Well, you don't need to eat dinner here tonight…but   
I do."   
  
"What did you buy for dinner?"   
  
Serena smiled through her tears. "A bag of chips."   
  
"What?" Mina's eyes widened, and she grabbed her friend's   
elbow. "You do know that your mother is going to keel over when she   
hears this, right?"  
  
"No, she isn't. Because no one is going to tell her," Serena   
answered, giving Mina a wink.  
  
Mina rolled her eyes and groaned. She fell down on top of   
Serena's bed. "I'm going to miss this room."   
  
Serena looked around. The pictures that used to hang up on   
the walls were gone; the beautiful blue pattern wallpaper was gone.   
The furniture were rid of any personal stuff, standing there looking   
ready to be used once again. Moving boxes for herself were placed on   
the wall beside the big window, and the luggage for Mina were sitting   
right beside them.   
  
"It's not going to be fun in the new house…" Serena said   
quietly.   
  
Mina looked at her friend, smiling sadly. "You're just saying   
that. I'm sure it'll be fun, once you get to know your roommates."   
  
"I only met Raye…and she seems okay…a little fiery-tempered,   
but still friendly. Chad…geez, the guy's a total rock star wannabe.   
But, he doesn't seem difficult to live with. There's still another   
guy--um, Darren? Darryl? No, wait…Darien. He didn't show up when Raye   
and Chad interviewed me for a new roommate. So I don't know what he's   
like."   
  
"You're going to be fine, okay, Sere? I'll always come back   
and visit you from London," Mina told her friend.  
  
Serena remained silent.   
  
"Look, stop, okay? This is our last--" Mina threw a glance   
toward her watch, "forty-five minutes together, and I don't want to   
waste it mourning over our parting."  
  
Serena's eyes became brighter. "What do you wanna do?"  
  
"Well, what do you say we--" Mina sat up, and crossed her   
legs. "tell each other, for the last time, our deepest secrets for this   
month."   
  
Serena smiled. It was a game they played each month, she had   
to tell Mina all her hidden secrets for the past 30 days, and Mina had   
to tell Serena HER deepest secrets. Sometimes both of them had really   
nothing to tell, but sometimes--they learned something very important   
about each other.   
  
Serena stifled a small sob. She was going to miss Mina sooo   
much.   
  
  
"Wait a minute, wait a minute. You totally argued with this   
guy, he went sarcastic and callous to you, and you went harsh and…hard   
on him. BUT, now you're saying that he's cute?" Mina exclaimed,   
holding up a finger.   
  
Serena smiled, grabbing Mina's finger and yanking it down on   
the bed. "Yeah. He was pretty cute. Although his eyes had flashed--  
anger toward me, they were still sooo…so gorgeous. And his hair--so   
black, and thick, and…tousled…real…GORGEOUS."   
  
"See, now there's something I know I'm going to miss a LOT.   
You and your descriptions of guys," Mina said cheerfully.  
  
Serena's face dropped. She looked away.   
  
"Hey, Sere…" Mina put an arm around her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Min. It's just that…I'm REALLY going to miss   
you." Serena couldn't hold back anymore, and she began to cry.   
  
Mina watched her best friend, and felt tears streaming down   
her own cheeks. She embraced Serena, holding her tightly. "Don't cry,   
don't cry. It's okay…you're making me cry. And--and you KNOW I'm not   
the crying type."   
  
Serena broke away and gently wiped away her tears. "You're   
right, you're right." She breathed deeply. "I'm sorry."   
  
"So…" Mina began, determined to get herself and Serena out   
of this crying mode, "You think he's cute, but you still hate him?"   
  
"Of course!" Serena exclaimed, wiping away the last of her   
tears. "I really despise him. He could've went a LITTLE bit softer on   
me. He could've asked before he shouted in my ears. Honestly, his eyes   
were glaring, and soo…angered. I could even hear this breathing, heavy   
and fast. It was like, like--he thought I was a thief or something.   
When I turned around and saw him standing there, I could've swear that   
it looked like he had wanted to grab me and pin me to the floor or   
something."  
  
Mina laughed. "Sounds so like your dream guy."   
  
"Haha, very funny, Min. I hope I never will see him again."   
  
"You probably won't. This is a pretty big city. Unless, of   
course--you go to that supermarket again."   
  
Serena's eyes widened. "Of course not! I wouldn't be caught   
dead going there again! And you know, Min--YOU suggested me going   
there."   
  
Mina held up her hands, suppressing laughter. "Hey--how was I   
suppose to know that you would end up trying to rip open a milk box,   
and a guy catching you right on the spot? I recommended the store to   
you because it has some cheap stuff."   
  
"Yeah. Whatever."   
  
Suddenly, Mina's watch began to beep. She held up her left   
wrist, and squinted at it. "Oh, no…" she murmured, a sad expression   
coming over her face.   
  
Serena knew. "7:30?"   
  
Mina glanced up, her eyes full of sorrow. "Yeah," she replied   
softly.   
  
"Just gimme a long hug before you go. And do not forget to   
write me. I'll give you the number for the house as soon as I can."   
Serena reached out and hugged her best friend.   
  
"You have my address, right?"   
  
"Yeah. And you have mine--the new one, correct?"   
  
"Correct."   
  
They stayed still, hugging each other, crying silently, until   
her watch beeped again. "What the--" She clicked it off, annoyed. But   
she knew it was really time for her to go now. She had set another   
alarm at 7:40 because somehow she knew that she would not able to make   
out of the dorm by 7:30. She couldn't help but smile. She had been   
right.   
  
"I really have to go now. That alarm beeped 7:40," Mina said.  
  
Serena let go, and stared at Mina through watery eyes. "I'll   
walk you down."   
  
"No. There's really no need. It would be…be best if we said   
our goodbyes right here," Mina said, biting her bottom lip.   
  
Serena knew what her friend was thinking. If she walked with   
her down, they would waste more time crying, and Mina might miss her   
plane. It happened before. So she nodded numbly, and whispered, "Well…  
bye, Min."   
  
A loud sob escaped Mina's throat. "Good-bye, Sere." Her voice   
cracked at the name.  
  
Tears poured out of Serena's eyes, but she didn't even bother   
to wipe them away. "I'll see you again…someday."   
  
"Bye," Mina whispered before she turned and grabbed her   
luggage, which consisted of a large suitcase and a duffel bag. She put   
on her summer jacket, and gave Serena a last smile by the door. "Love   
you, girlfriend."   
  
That was all she needed to break into a cry. "Love you, too,"   
she choked out, wrapping her arms around herself.   
  
Mina bit her lip, and opened the door. She rolled the suitcase   
with her left hand, and carried the duffel bag with the right. She kept   
going toward the elevator, not looking back, not able to look at her   
friend's tear-stained face once more. She was leaving. She was leaving   
the city. She was leaving the country, leaving all her friends…and   
leaving…her best, best, best friend.   
  
She sighed heavily, tears blurring her vision as she heard the   
small 'ding' of the elevator. She looked toward the direction of the   
dorm once more. Serena was standing there, clutching the necklace she   
was wearing.   
  
Mina couldn't help but smile. She had a same one. Except on   
the pendant of her necklace, there was a small, carefully carved   
"Friends", while on Serena's it was a "Best." She mouthed a "Bye" to   
Serena, and, when the elevator door opened, she walked in, rolling her   
suitcase.   
  
  
Serena closed the door, numbly yet shakily, and then walked   
lifelessly toward her bed. She fell on it, warm tears flowing down her   
face. She grabbed the plastic bag that was lying down beside her bed.   
She opened it, and pulled out the bag of chips.   
  
Hope you have chips as good as these in London, Mina. I know   
you love them. Serena thought as she tore open the bag, and popped a   
chip in her mouth.   
  
  
  
When she opened her eyes that morning, the first thing that   
Serena did was glance over at Mina's bed. She was always the one who   
woke Mina up everyday for class. But now…her best friend's bed was   
empty.   
  
In a flash, everything pushed its way back into her mind, and   
Serena closed her eyes. Her eyes felt dry and tired. She put a hand to   
her cheek, and found some dried trails of tears.   
  
Serena sighed. She flipped open the covers, and got off the   
bed. She had told Raye that she would be moving some stuff in at 10:40.   
She glanced at her watch, which was sitting on the floor by her feet.   
Her eyes widened. 10 already?   
  
Quickly, Serena grabbed the clothes that she had already   
prepared yesterday night, and went in the bathroom. She took a cool   
shower. With a towel wrapped around her, she brushed her teeth, combed   
her hair, and then took off the towel and put on a pair of loose black   
jeans, and a tight red short-sleeved shirt.   
  
Once she was out of the bathroom, she took a good look around   
the, what used to be a cozy and friendly, but now lifeless and dull,   
dorm. She sighed. She and Mina had shared so many fun nights here   
talking and eating away with each other.   
  
She made her bed, and put on her watch. She opened the drapes,   
and sunshine lighted its way in. She stuffed her oversized nightshirt   
in her backpack, and then went to the bathroom again to put in her   
shampoo, body wash, and other toiletries. She stepped out of the   
bathroom. No personal stuff left.   
  
She took another good look around the dorm, and sighed. She   
glanced at her left wrist, but found no watch. Serena smiled to   
herself and went over and picked up the watch that was still sitting   
by the bed. She put it on while she stuffed her feet into a pair of   
running shoes.   
  
She glanced at the moving boxes. She walked over to the   
phone, and dialed Raye's number.   
  
"Hello?"   
  
Serena cleared her throat. "Hi, Raye…it's Serena."   
  
"Oh, hi!"   
  
"Um, I'll be coming over to move some stuff in right about   
now, is that okay?"   
  
"Of course! Do you need any help?"   
  
Serena couldn't help but smile. "No, but thank you, anyway."   
  
"All right, then. See you in a few."  
  
"Right. Bye." She hanged up the phone, sighing to herself.   
"Well."   
  
She grabbed her small backpack, and dropped her car keys   
inside. She checked for the dorm keys, and then pulled a strap over her  
shoulder, walking toward the boxes. She put her hands on the two   
edges of the biggest of the three, and began to drag it toward the door.   
  
  
  
"Whoa! You need any help with that?" Raye Caseley exclaimed,   
staring at the big box that Serena was dragging in.   
  
"Thanks, but, I can handle it," Serena replied, flashing a   
small smile at Raye. She held up the box with a small grunt, shifting   
weight from one foot to another for balance.   
  
"Well, your room is all cleaned up and ready for you to move   
in," Raye said, grinning.  
  
"Thank you."   
  
Raye nodded. She glanced at the box again, and then at   
Serena's new room upstairs. "Serena, I don't care what you say, you   
can not drag that heavy big old thing up the stairs all by yourself.   
Let me help." With that, she walked to the other side of the box, and   
placed her hands under it, holding it with all her might.   
  
Serena flashed her an appreciative smile. "Thanks." She let   
her hands loosen the grip on the box a little bit, and approached the   
stairs sideways, with Raye on the other side.   
  
When they reached the top, they both put the box down at the   
same time, and blew out huge breaths of air. Raye looked at Serena,   
grinning. "And you thought you could drag that all the way up here?"   
  
Serena smiled back, and shrugged. "I figured it wouldn't   
take that much energy." She inhaled deeply, and started going   
downstairs again. "I still have two more in the car, but they are much   
lighter, and I can do it by myself."  
  
"That's what you said last time," Raye reminded her, following   
her downstairs into the living room.   
  
"Well, this time it's for definite." Serena walked out of   
the front door toward her parked car by the road.   
  
Raye smiled after her, and then went to the kitchen to   
continue to sip her soda.   
  
A few minutes later, Serena came in again, carrying another   
box in her hands.   
  
  
"All done?"  
  
Serena glanced at Raye, who was stretched out on the sofa,   
watching TV. She smiled, and nodded. "Yep. I'm going upstairs to   
unpack some stuff, all right?"   
  
"Okay. But maybe before that, you should lie down for a   
while. You look exhausted," Raye said, studying Serena's face.   
  
Serena smiled again, wiped some sweat off her neck with   
her hands, and then went upstairs.   
  
Raye turned back toward the TV, and then looked at the clock.   
Where the hell is the other two?  
  
  
Serena put her hands on her lips, and surveyed her new room.   
She couldn't help but smile. The room actually was starting to look   
like an actual ROOM with a person living in it, rather than the dull,   
blank space that she had saw when she first walked in with Raye and   
Chad while they were showing her around.   
  
The room already provided the furniture, which was why the cost   
had been a little high, but Serena liked it that way, since she did not   
want to bother going out and buy more stuff. She glanced around again,   
taking in everything carefully. Desk, check; drapes, check; bed,   
check; sheets…Serena looked at her boxes…she needed to put them on   
later.   
  
Uh-oh. No mirror. She suddenly thought.  
  
She walked toward the biggest moving box, and fished around   
for the big mirror that used to hang on the wall beside her bed in the   
dorm. Her hands touched the glassy material, and she pulled it out.   
Walking toward the wall beside the desk, She looked at the oval-shaped,   
golden-framed mirror, and then glanced at the wall to see a spot to   
hang it on.   
  
Then, she realized something. She needed a nail, and a hammer.  
  
Sighing, Serena walked out of her bedroom, careful to close   
the door after her, and walked downstairs.   
  
"Raye?" Serena called out, walking into the living room.   
  
Raye opened her closed eyes, and turned her head around.   
"Yeah?"   
  
"Do you have, like," Serena glanced around, "a hammer and a   
nail?"  
  
Raye wrinkled her nose. "Why would you need those?"   
  
"I need to put up a mirror, and there's no way I can put it   
up without a nail and a hammer," Serena replied, half-smiling.   
  
"Oh." Raye frowned slightly, darting her eyes around. "I'm   
not sure. I'm not exactly Ms. Toolman. Still, I think either Chad or   
Darien has to have something like that around here." Her eyes landed   
on the kitchen cabinets. "I'll go look for them in the cabinets."   
  
"Oh, no!" Serena quickly said, taking a step toward Raye   
before she could stand up. "I gave you enough trouble already, I can   
do it myself. That is…if you don't mind me messing around with your   
stuff…"  
  
Raye shook her head. "Of course not. And, Serena…? You're not   
giving me any trouble."   
  
Serena looked at the raven-haired girl, and smiled. "Thanks,   
Raye." She walked in the kitchen, making her way around a basketball   
on the floor. Standing in the kitchen, she put her hands on her hips   
and glanced around. Which cabinet?   
  
She pulled open one by the fridge, and it was filled with   
food. She opened the one beneath it, and that was filled with paper   
cups, napkins, plates, etc. She stood up, and walked across to the   
cabinets by that side. She opened the top…nope. She opened the bottom   
one, and caught a glimpse of what she thought were tools. Serena   
kneeled down, and stuck her head inside the cabinet, trying to pick   
out a hammer and some nails in the darkness.   
  
  
In the living room, Raye laughed suddenly when someone in   
the TV show she was watching made a joke. She pushed away a strand of   
dark hair by her eyes, and then pushed the volume-increasing button.   
  
The sound of a slamming door startled her. Raye turned   
around, and when she saw who it was, she rolled her eyes. "Where   
the hell were you?"   
  
The dark-haired man's blue eyes flashed annoyance. "What's it   
to you, cousin?"   
  
Raye rolled her eyes again, sighing. "Whatever. Anyway,   
Serena's here."   
  
His brows knotted together. "Serena who?"   
  
"You know--our new roommate, the one that you didn't even   
bother to show to meet the other day," Raye replied flatly.  
  
"Oh. Well, we got someone to pay the rent now, right? So   
why are you still so worked up over that?"   
  
"I'm not worked up. I just thought that you maybe could've   
showed just a LITTLE more warmth toward the girl that we will be   
living with for a long time."  
  
"You know, Raye," he sat down on the sofa beside her, "If   
I were to say anything about a new roommate, it's that I'm really not   
that excited about it being a girl."  
  
"Well, I am. You have no idea how it is for me to be living   
with King of Mock and King of Rock at the same time," Raye said,   
leaning against a soft cushion.   
  
He just grinned.   
  
"Oh, Serena's in the kitchen right now, looking for some   
hammer and nails. By the way, Darien--where are the hammer and the   
nails?"  
  
Darien Caseley frowned. "I don't have a hammer or any sort   
of nails in the house."  
  
"I know you don't, but do you know where they are?"  
  
"I never use them."  
  
"Well, then, fine--do you know where CHAD put them?" Raye   
asked, exasperated.  
  
"In the close somewhere, figuring him."  
  
"Closet?" Raye stood up, the cushion on her lap falling   
to the floor. "Great. I thought he had put it in the kitchen somewhere,   
and Serena's over there looking for it right now." With that, she   
turned to the kitchen entrance.   
  
"Serena?" Raye called out, glancing around the kitchen as she   
stepped inside.   
  
"Yeah, Raye?" Serena's voice was muffled, with her head being   
inside the cabinet.   
  
Raye smiled at the picture Serena made. "Um, I'm really   
sorry--I don't think it's in the cabinets somewhere."   
  
Serena pulled her head out, stood up, and looked at Raye.   
"Oh, no wonder. Well then, where are they?"   
  
"Darien says that Chad put them in the closet."   
  
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Darien?"  
  
"Yeah, he's home. Come out and meet him," Raye said   
casually, smiling.   
  
Serena shrugged. "Yeah, sure. But which closet contains the   
tools? Don't tell me that I have to look for them one by one. I've   
seen how many closets this house has."   
  
Raye grinned, leading the way out of the kitchen. "I'll ask him   
to be more specific."  
  
Darien was sitting on the sofa, so when Serena and Raye came   
out, his profile was the first thing that Serena saw. She frowned,   
taking a step warily toward him, following Raye. He looks sort of   
familiar.  
  
"Darien, which closet is it that the hammer and the nails   
are in?" Raye asked, standing by the sofa, looking down at him.  
  
He shrugged, eyes still on the TV screen. "Check the one   
that's NOT in a bedroom."  
  
Raye glanced upstairs, then shooting a look at Serena.   
  
Meanwhile, Serena suddenly had a very uneasy feeling about the   
young man just several feet away from her. There was something very   
familiar about that shade of his hair…  
  
Just then, Darien stood up, stretching. He looked at Raye,   
somehow not noticing Serena behind her. "I'm going up."  
  
"Hello?" Raye said, irritated, stepping aside a little.   
"This is Serena? Aren't you even going to say hi to her?" She was   
really annoyed with her cousin now.   
  
Darien's eyes shifted to Serena, turning around fully to   
face her.  
  
Serena gasped, immediately realizing who it was.   
  
"YOU!?!" They both cried at the same time.  
  
  
"You two met before?" Raye asked, eyes darting back and forth   
between Serena and Darien, who were glaring at each other.   
  
"Unfortunately, yes," Darien replied, his eyes not moving from   
Serena's face.  
  
Serena narrowed her blue eyes, crossing her arms over her   
chest.   
  
"How…how did you meet?" Raye asked, fighting off a small smile   
at how her cousin looked right at that instant. She had never seen him   
look so pissed off…and yet never seen him so intense, even though he was   
doing a pretty good job at covering his emotions.  
  
Both Serena and Darien didn't answer her, they were two busy   
glaring at each other.   
  
"So…" Darien began, his voice and face cool, "You are the new   
roommie."  
  
"Looks like it," Serena replied, her voice cold.  
  
"Well…just do me one favor, will you? Try not to open anything   
that's supposed to be SEALED in this house, okay?"  
  
Serena felt a growl in her throat. "And you do me a favor, too,   
can you? Try not to act so callous and stubborn, okay?"  
  
He smiled coolly. "Sorry, no can do. I'm like that."  
  
"All right, listen, you two--" Raye began, before Serena had   
any chance to retort, "Whatever happened before between you--forget   
about it, okay? We're going to be living together, so you need to at   
least act civil to each other."   
  
"Boy, do I wish that I went to some sort of acting academy   
before," Serena remarked.   
  
Darien's gaze sharpened. "I'm going upstairs."  
  
"I'm going after you," Raye replied, following close behind   
her cousin, a curious expression on her face.   
  
Serena stared after the two, feeling her heart drop. Great.   
God, I wish I were still living in the dorm right now! She looked out   
the windows sadly, her heart twisting in sorrow. And do I wish that   
Mina was still here.   
  
  
  
"You were mean, Darien. Face it," Raye told him after she   
brought the story out of his mouth.  
  
"What? No, I wasn't, Raye. SHE was the one who was INSIDE the   
room, fumbling around in a closed box of milk, trying to OPEN it from   
where I could see, and I was being MEAN? Hell, no." Darien made a point   
of making a loud noise when he pulled a chair to sit down.  
  
"Look, I agree with Serena. She had been right when she had   
said that she DIDN'T open the box, and so DIDN'T need to buy the milk.   
And you kept insisting."  
  
"I was doing my job. How could I even guess what she was   
doing? She could be wrecking the merchandise on purpose, for all I   
could tell."   
  
Raye rolled her eyes. "Darien! Does Serena look like the   
sort of girl who will make trouble on purpose?" She exclaimed.  
  
Suddenly an image of her flashed before Darien's mind. He   
had to admit that she didn't look like that…that she looked very   
innocent…and beautiful…and…  
  
He cleared his throat, raising his voice again. "Maybe not,   
okay? But again, how was I suppose to know?"   
  
"Whatever. But, listen--we are roommates now. Serena's   
helping pay the rent, and so don't you even think about replacing   
her."   
  
Darien didn't say anything. He WASN'T thinking about replacing   
her, but Raye didn't have to know that. In fact, it would be the best   
if Raye knew how much he didn't like her.  
  
"Anyway, I know how you can be, Darien. But I've lived   
through it. Only Serena's new, and I'm sure she won't be used to your   
attitude any time soon. So be nice to her, okay?"  
  
"What ABOUT my attitude?" Darien asked, glaring at Raye.  
  
Raye shook her head, waving a hand in the air. "Never mind."  
  
"As long as she doesn't make any kind of trouble in this   
house, I'll be cool to her," Darien said.   
  
"Good. Oh--what do you wanna eat tonight?"  
  
"I don't know. Pizza?"   
  
Raye shrugged. "Okay. I'll tell Serena, so she can join us."   
She gave him a look.  
  
Darien tried to look casual. "Whatever. Be sure to tell Chad,   
too."  
  
He couldn't help but smile at the expression on his cousin's   
face. He knew she liked Chad as much as he liked Serena.   
  
"You tell Chad yourself, since he's your friend." Raye opened   
the bedroom door. "Although why is way beyond me," she mumbled as she   
walked out.  
  
Darien closed the door after her, and sat down on his bed   
with a thump. Dammit, Lita. Why did you have to move out so suddenly?  
  
**************  
  
What did you think, guys? Boring? Dull?  
Email me at HenraM@tuxedomask.com  
And visit my website at http://www6.ewebcity.com/moonieround  
  
^_^ =Henra.   
  



	2. Try Me

Try me - part 2  
By Henra  
HenraM@tuxedomask.com   
PG rated  
  
Standard Disclaimer applies.  
  
Enjoy reading, and be sure to drop me a comment! ^__^  
  
Part two  
  
**************  
  
"I don't believe this, I don't believe this, I don't believe   
this," Serena murmured to herself, pacing around her new room.   
  
She sighed, and fell down on the bed. "That guy in the store…  
is Darien. Darien…is that guy in the store," she said out loud, the   
words clearly sinking into her.   
  
She laughed bitterly, thinking how ironic the situation was.   
Can I move out now? Would Raye mind giving me back the check?   
  
Oh, Kansie, you are out of your mind. Why move out for a guy   
like that? You can't find another place just as the semester's about   
to start.   
  
Just then, a knock was heard on her door.   
  
"Come in," Serena said, standing up from her bed, eyes on   
the door.   
  
Raye stuck her head in, and smiled at Serena. "Hey--whoa!"   
Her violet eyes widened when she saw Serena's room. She came in, and   
surveyed the whole room. "Wow! I never knew the room could look like   
this! You work REALLY fast, girl, let me tell you that. A few hours--  
and THIS result? Damn, I need to learn how to decorate a room nice   
and quick from you."   
  
Serena laughed. "So! What's up?"   
  
"Oh, me and Darien are thinking of going out for pizza   
tonight--are you interested in going with us? And…" Raye fought to   
keep cool, "Chad?"   
  
Serena was flattered. She barely knew Raye, and she was   
already asking her to go eat pizza together as if she knew her for a   
long time already. "Sure," she answered with a smile. "Hey, Raye--is   
it all right if I take a shower now, though? I'm all, heh, sweaty from   
working around the room."   
  
"Of course it's all right! We'll get going once Chad's home…  
and that's usually around 7 during weekends. So you have about," Raye   
looked at her watch, "thirty minutes."   
  
"Good enough for me. I'll see you then," Serena said.   
  
"Okay. Enjoy your shower!" Raye called out, walking toward the   
door.   
  
Serena laughed. I will. Oh, I definitely need a cool shower.  
  
  
  
"Oh, good. You're home," Raye said flatly, eyeing Chad Duncan   
as he walked in the front door.   
  
"Good to see you again, too, Raye," Chad replied back, his   
voice just as unenthusiastic.   
  
Raye rolled her eyes. "We're going out for pizza--Serena, me   
and Darien, and you're welcome to come along." Instantly, she cursed   
herself. You said that Darien was going to tell him! Why did you open   
your mouth?   
  
Chad raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me if I want to go to   
pizza with you guys?"   
  
Raye shrugged, trying to be careless. "Darien wanted you   
along."   
  
"Oh." Chad then shrugged, too. "I don't know, if I have   
nothing else to do. And wait--Serena's here already?"   
  
"Yeah." Raye said with a smile, "she's here. She moved most   
of her stuff in today, and she's going to be living here from tonight   
on."   
  
"Cool." Chad grinned. "She seems like a nice girl."  
  
"Yeah, she is," Raye replied.   
  
"Oh, Chad! You're home! Wanna go out for pizza with us?"   
Darien appeared in the kitchen, grabbing a can of soda from the   
refrigerator.   
  
Chad glanced at Raye. "Raye already told me about it. I don't   
know…maybe I'll tag along."   
  
Darien straightened up, and shot a glance at his cousin. "Raye   
already told you about it?"   
  
Raye could already see her cousin's mind calculating what   
just happened, his eyes asking a question Raye didn't even know the   
answer to herself. 'Why did you ask him when you told ME to ask him?'   
Maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal to anyone else, but to Darien's   
eyes and mind, everything had to do with SOMETHING. Raye hoped Darien   
wouldn't ask her anything.   
  
But, thankfully, Darien didn't act on it. He just kept on   
looking at Chad. "Maybe? Where else do you plan to go tonight?"   
  
Involuntarily, Raye's attention was grabbed. She tried to   
keep on looking at the book in her hands, but her ears were way into   
what Chad was about to say.  
  
"No where, really. I just--I don't know, I don't think I'm   
really very welcomed," Chad said to Darien, watching Raye from the   
corners of his eyes.   
  
Hell, you are coming, Duncan, no matter what. I'm not about   
to face Serena if Raye's not going to face you. But Darien just tried   
casually to convince him, "Come on, what harm could it cause? We're   
hungry, we're roommates, we're going out for pizza like normal friends."   
He almost stumbled when he said friends, because he thought of Serena,   
but he caught himself in time. Chad would surely pick out that stutter   
if he made it.   
  
Chad's eyes shifted to Raye. Raye, catching Chad looking at   
her, immediately started staring at the page in the book as if it was   
the most interesting thing in the whole world. Chad couldn't help but   
smile. "Yeah, I guess I can go with you guys."   
  
Darien grinned. "Cool." He shot one more look at Raye, then   
at Chad, and then walked out of the kitchen, trying to figure out--for   
the millionth time--what was it between Raye and Chad.   
  
Raye went back to her book.   
  
Chad hesitated for a moment, then started going to his room   
upstairs.   
  
Raye looked up as he walked slowly up the stairs. At that   
moment, Chad also shot a look at Raye. Their gazes met, and then Raye   
quickly looked away, feeling a faint blush creep up to her cheeks.   
  
Chad continued to go upstairs.   
  
  
  
Serena came downstairs wearing a long-sleeved tie-dyed shirt,   
along with a pair of low-slung jeans.   
  
Raye was already in the living room, hands on hips, looking   
at her watch now and then. Serena smiled and called out, "Raye!"  
  
Raye looked up, and smiled back. "Serena! God, I knew I could   
count on you."   
  
"Where's Chad and Darien?"   
  
Raye rolled her eyes. "Chad's still in his room, and Darien's   
still in the bathroom."   
  
"Well, I'M back, so don't worry about me any longer."   
  
Both Raye and Serena turned toward the direction of the voice,   
and found Darien standing there, a smug smile on his face. "I'm not   
late, am I?"   
  
Serena fought not to notice how very attractive he looked.   
The crisp navy-blue shirt just somehow made his eyes more smoldering.   
Darien caught her looking at him, and gave her a smirk, which caused   
Serena to look away immediately.   
  
"Well, YOU are here, but where the hell is Chad?" Raye stomped   
a foot.   
  
"I'm here, I'm here," Chad called out, practically rolling   
down the stairs because he tripped on his baggy pants on the top step.   
  
Raye rolled her eyes. "All right, all right. Let's go."   
  
"We'll take my car," Darien told them, walking ahead of the   
others.   
  
When they reached the Mitsubishi, Raye climbed in the backseat   
immediately. Serena was about to climb in after her, but Chad beat her   
to it. He flashed her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I don't like to use   
seatbelts. And Raye makes whoever sit in the front seats wear them."   
  
Serena saw Raye roll her eyes, but she also saw that her   
friend then flashed a small smile at Chad. Now Serena was the only one   
standing outside the jeep, staring at the seat beside Darien. She bit   
her lip, hesitant.   
  
Darien seemed to notice this. "What's wrong, Serena? Afraid   
to sit beside me? Think I have the cooties or something?" He asked   
casually, half-smiling.   
  
Chad snickered, and Raye elbowed him, causing him to make a   
straight face in about a second.   
  
Serena narrowed her eyes at Darien. "Oh, very mature,   
Caseley." She climbed in the seat next to Darien, closing the door   
after her.   
  
Darien went ahead and pulled out of the driveway.   
  
  
  
"This place is so crowded," Serena commented as the four of   
them made their way to a table.   
  
Raye nodded as she looked around. "Papa Joe's always is during   
weekends."   
  
"What do you guys want?" Darien asked, sitting down and   
leaning back against the leather seat.   
  
"Pepperoni," Serena answered without thinking.   
  
"Okay, then. I want a cheese," Darien replied, smirking at   
Serena.   
  
Serena stared at him in surprise. "I didn't ask you what   
you wanted."   
  
"Yeah, well--you wanted pepperoni, and so when you go up   
there--" Darien pointed to the counter with a finger, "--and order   
for the slices of pizza, order three slices of cheese for me."   
  
Serena felt like exploding. "Excuse me? Why am I supposed to   
go up there and order for you? And why the hell DO you think _I_   
would go and order when I just said that I wanted pepperoni? Besides,   
you were the one who asked me."   
  
"So I asked you."   
  
"Well, one USUALLY assumes when someone asks that, it means   
that he or she is the one who's going to order."   
  
"Well, one USUALLY assumes when one asks that, it's just   
asking 'What does everyone want' and doesn't mean 'I'm going to   
order for you guys.'"   
  
Serena clenched her fists. She opened her mouth, but was   
interrupted by Raye. "All right, you two! I'LL go there and order,   
for god's sake, since I ALWAYS do!" Raye started toward the counter.   
  
"Wait." Chad started after her, grabbing her wrist. "I'll   
order this time,since like you said--you always do." He half-smiled at   
her, and then walked to the counter, getting out his wallet.  
  
Raye stood there, gawking after him. She turned back to their   
table, and sat down slowly.  
  
"Is Chad paying for everything?" Serena asked when Raye sat   
down, "Because I brought mo--"   
  
"It's always like that, don't worry, Serena," Raye replied,   
smiling. "He pays for now, but when we go home, we then pay for what   
we get."  
  
Serena nodded.   
  
"Are you rich or something? Because if you are--you CAN   
pay for everything, you know," Darien said with an innocent smile.   
  
"Darien!" Raye exclaimed, giving her cousin a glare.   
  
"Although, I wonder--if you are really rich, why did you try   
to open the box of milk in the store?"   
  
Serena's eyes flashed. "That has nothing to do with me being   
rich or not."   
  
He shrugged, looking away. "Whatever."   
  
"Chad!" Raye interrupted, relieved, before Serena could open   
her mouth.  
  
Chad looked at Raye, a smile half lit on his face. "Gee, don't   
you sound happy to see me."   
  
Raye blushed, not saying anything.   
  
Chad sat down, also putting down a receipt on the table. "Our   
number is 210, easy to remember, right? I ordered two slices of   
pepperoni, three slices of cheese, and a whole sausage pizza, all   
right?"  
  
"210," Raye repeated. She looked at him, a sparkle lit in her   
eyes. "You knew I wanted--sausage?"  
  
Chad grinned easily. "I'd be dead if I don't know what kind of   
pizza you like by now."   
  
Raye nodded, and looked away, thinking how dumb her question   
was. Of course he knew by now…she just never knew that since he never   
ordered for them before. Stupid, stupid, stupid.   
  
Serena watched the exchange, and felt a small knowing feeling   
creep up to her. She caught Darien's gaze, and from the way he was   
looking at her, she could tell that he was thinking of something--  
not the same--but similar.   
  
She looked away. She glanced at him sideways and saw that he   
had grinned and then turned his attention to somewhere in the other   
side of the room.   
  
Some minutes later, they heard a guy calling "Number 210!   
Number 210 is ready!" The four glanced at each other, and Serena   
started to get up. "I'll get them."  
  
"But you don't--"  
  
"Raye! Serena wants to get them, and so let her!" Darien   
said, trying to sound reasonable as he watched Serena turn to go.   
  
Raye glared at her cousin. Honestly, he could be so annoying   
when he wanted to. She tried to call to Serena again, but when she   
looked back, Serena had already marched up toward the 'pick-up' part   
of the counter. At least Serena didn't hear that remark…Otherwise   
she would be REALLY hating Darien.   
  
Serena, unfortunately though, HAD heard it. She fought to keep   
her face smiling when she received the pizzas from the worker. She   
fought to keep her face cool when she reached back to the table. And   
she fought not to bite Darien's head off right then and there when she   
delivered the different kinds pizzas to their owners.  
  
She finally sat down, picked up a slice of her delicious,   
hot pepperoni pizza, and prepared to start eating.   
  
"Anyone want drinks?" Darien suddenly asked, looking at   
Serena.   
  
Serena narrowed her eyes. She stayed silent. If he thinks   
I'm going to answer that one like I did with the pizza, he's got   
another thing coming.  
  
"I said, anyone want any drinks?" Darien asked again.   
  
Serena looked at Raye and Chad. They somehow didn't look   
like they heard anything; both were completely focused on destroying   
their pizza. She cocked an eyebrow, and wondered if there was anything   
going on between Raye and Chad.   
  
"Serena? Want any drinks?" Darien grinned at her, picking a   
bite at his pizza.   
  
Serena mouthed the words 'Go to hell.'   
  
"Only if you come with me," Darien replied, still smiling.  
  
It was at that moment Raye and Chad decided to pay attention.   
"Who come with who to where?" They asked in unison. They looked at each   
other, reddened, and then looked away, Chad focused on Darien, Raye   
focused on Serena.   
  
Both Serena and Darien raised their eyebrows at the exchange.   
"Oh, we were talking about hell and stuff," Serena answered, purposely   
making her voice cheerful.   
  
"Hell?" Raye repeated.   
  
"Yeah--it's, you know, the UNDERWORLD," Darien said in a   
serious tone, wiping his mouth with a napkin roughly.  
  
Raye rolled her eyes. "I didn't ask you." She went back to   
nibbling at her pizza.   
  
Serena gave Darien an evil eye. Darien raised an eyebrow but   
said nothing.  
  
Serena finished with her first piece of pizza, and then made   
a grab for the second one on the plate. Somehow, the pizza tonight just   
tasted extra delicious. Then, she caught a glimpse of long blonde hair.   
Serena's eyes widened. She put down her slice, and stared in the   
direction which she just saw that flash. Mina?   
  
Then, when her eyes saw that it was just another girl with   
long blonde hair, a shade a little bit darker than Mina's, she slumped   
down in her seat. Stupid, stupid. Mina went away, remember? She left   
yesterday night. God…I miss her already.   
  
She looked at her half-bitten second slice of pizza. She just   
lost her appetite. "Um--" Serena began, catching everyone around the   
table's attention, "I'm going to--go outside for a minute, okay?" She   
half-smiled, and stood up to go.  
  
"Wait! Wha-what about your pizza?" Raye asked. "I mean--it's   
going to get cold, and when it's not cold--it's not as delicious."   
  
Serena smiled. "I'm not really that hungry anymore." She   
walked to the front door. Chad, Raye, and Darien all stared after her.  
  
Raye looked expectedly at Darien. "Well?"   
  
"Well what?" Darien stared back at Raye, his eyes narrowed.   
  
"Well, what did you say to her?"   
  
Darien gaped at his cousin in disbelief. "Excuse me? What _I_   
did to her?"   
  
Raye didn't answer. She crossed her arms and leaned back in   
her seat, looking crossly at her cousin.   
  
"Raye, you were here the whole time, okay? I didn't do anything   
to her." Darien took a bite on his pizza. "She fought back, anyway,"   
he mumbled, looking away.   
  
Raye threw another concerned look out the door of Papa Joe's,   
and then hesitantly finished the last bite of the slice of pizza she   
was holding in her hand.   
  
Darien shifted in his seat, making a little squeaking noise   
with the leather chair. His eyes darted to the half-bitten pizza that   
was on Serena's plate, and unconsciously, he looked out the direction   
where Serena had gone. He frowned.   
  
It couldn't have been something that he did that got to Serena.   
He was sure of that.  
  
  
Serena came in a few minutes later, looking tired. She shakily   
sat down beside Raye, and looked for a drink. Then she realized that no   
one had ordered a drink. Shooting a glance at Darien, she warily began,   
"I'm going to go buy a drink…"   
  
Raye and Chad nodded. Serena looked at Darien, expecting him   
to come up with another sorry excuse for an insult. Instead, he didn't   
say anything. Just held her gaze evenly with his piercing blue eyes.   
Serena stood up, breaking eye contact, and walked to the counter,   
pulling out her wallet from her shoulder bag.   
  
Darien cocked an eyebrow as he saw Serena talking with the   
guy behind the counter, and then giving him some money, and came back   
holding a glass of soda in her hand. "What did you buy?"   
  
Serena sat down, eyeing him carefully, and not answering for   
a moment as if considering the question was tricky. Then she answered   
in a cool voice, "Cola."   
  
"Cool. I like cola," Darien replied, half of a smile appearing   
on his face.   
  
Serena's eyes narrowed. "That's nice." She watched him as he   
stretched his palms out, then snatched up the remaining slice of pizza   
on his plate, and casually ate it, while the whole time never moving   
his eyes away from hers. She was half-expecting him to tell her to go   
and buy a cola for him.  
  
"Well," Raye said cheerfully, dabbing her mouth with a napkin,   
"I'm done. Do you guys want to go straight home or go somewhere else to   
have fun?"   
  
Chad grinned. "Go somewhere else to have fun, of course, my   
lady."   
  
Raye glanced at him, then looked at Serena and Darien. "What   
do you think, guys?"   
  
Serena looked back at Raye, and smiled. "I don't know. I'm   
sort of tired…"  
  
"Oh, come on, Serena! Already tired?! You should have fun   
today! It's the beginning of the days that you're going to be living   
with us!" Chad exclaimed, his grin getting wider.   
  
"Yeah, Serena. Tired so soon?" Darien put the last bite of   
pizza into his mouth, and picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth. "You   
guys could go to that newly opened club."   
  
"What? In THIS?" Raye exclaimed in disbelief, gesturing at her   
blue baby tee and white slim-fitting jeans, with the dirty sneakers. "I   
don't think so. And what do you mean, Darien--YOU guys?"   
  
"I don't plan to go, actually. I, uh--promised Andrew I would   
meet him at the park tonight," Darien answered casually.   
  
"Oh." Raye's gaze dropped, then she looked between Chad and   
Serena. "Well, then…if you guys don't mind, I think we should all just   
go to that amusement park on Main street," Raye, brightening suddenly.   
  
"Amusement park? At this hour?" Serena asked, blinking.   
  
"You know--that's not a bad idea," Chad commented, a glint to   
his eyes.   
  
Serena thought about it. There was still some stuff that she   
had to finish in her new room…but, of course, that could be done later.   
But--she looked at Chad, then at Raye. There was something between   
those two, and somehow, she didn't feel like tagging along. "Well,   
I--it's probably a good idea for you guys to go somewhere…but I--really,   
Raye--I'm exhausted from moving all those stuff. I just want to go home   
and take some rest. I'll take a rain check, if it's okay…?" Serena   
smiled apologetically at her new friend.   
  
Raye panicked. If Serena weren't going…and Darien weren't   
going…then she and Chad would be going alone…and somehow, the idea of  
going to the amusement park didn't seem so fun and carefree anymore. She   
turned a pleading gaze to Serena. "Serena…please?" she began, "I mean,   
you're my new friend--and I want us to really have some fun together…  
consider this like, like some sort of celebration of you moving in   
with us."   
  
Darien snorted. "Yeah, right, celebration."   
  
Raye glared at him, and Serena flushed in anger.   
  
"Listen," Chad suddenly said, stealing everyone's attention,   
"if Serena doesn't want to go…then we shouldn't force her."   
  
Serena sighed silently in relief.  
  
Raye stared at Chad, not believing her ears. "ExCUSE me?"   
  
Chad turned to look into her violet eyes. He grinned,   
shrugging. "What, you don't think we'll get along together?"   
  
Raye opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again   
when no words came out for five seconds. She turned away, hiding her   
reddened face.   
  
Serena smiled secretly, licking her lips. "Well, Raye?"   
  
Raye turned wide eyes to her friend. "Um, well…I-I…I guess   
it'd be okay. But, are you SURE you don't want to come along?" She   
asked, getting hopeful again.   
  
"She's sure," Chad cut in, grinning and leaning toward Raye.   
  
Serena smiled. "That's decided, then?" Raye and Chad…?   
Possible.   
  
"Wait!" Raye suddenly exclaimed, realizing something. "We came   
here in Darien's car! How will Darien go to the park, Serena go back   
home, and…me and--Chad go to the amusement park?"   
  
Darien thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "That's   
easy. I'll get you guys to the Amusement park first, since that's not   
really far away, and you guys can order a taxi or something on the way   
home. And I'll drive Serena back home after that, and then I'll drive   
off myself to the park."   
  
"You know what, you don't have to drive us--we can just take   
a cab," Chad offered.   
  
"Um, yeah--if you need to like, get to the park really fast,"   
Raye said quietly.   
  
Darien grinned. "Oookay…I'll, uh--fine. You guys can go get   
a cab and ride off to the amusement park, and I'll take Serena home."   
  
Both Serena and Raye swallowed uncomfortably.   
  
I'll be alone in the car with Darien…   
  
I'll be alone in a car with Chad…well, there's still the   
driver…but…   
  
Serena sighed. I guess I have to be prepared for whatever   
other insults Darien has in store for me on our drive.  
  
"Okay, then. Let's go," Chad said, smiling, as he got up   
and headed for the door, with the other three following him.   
  
  
  
The silence in the car was agonizing. Serena kept shifting   
in her seat, keeping her eyes out the window. She didn't talk, he   
didn't talk…that was fine.   
  
"We're here," Darien said, breaking the silence and startling   
Serena.   
  
She swallowed, and realized they were getting nearer to the   
garage door as Darien pulled up the driveway. She unbuckled her   
seatbelt, grabbed her bag, and placed her hand on the handle, and   
pushed.   
  
The door didn't budge.   
  
"Uh," Serena said, a little sheepishly as she glanced at   
Darien. "The door's locked."   
  
"What? Oh…I forgot to unlock," Darien replied, a lopsided   
grin on his lips as he pulled a button by his door.   
  
"Thanks," Serena said, getting out of the car and slamming the   
door shut again. Then, she realized that Darien was also getting out.   
She looked at him, a little confusedly. "Um--aren't you going to meet   
Andrew at the park?"   
  
"Nah. I'm tired," Darien replied, walking and stretching at   
the same time with his arms.   
  
Serena looked away, but not before she caught the way his   
muscles showed through the shirt when he pulled his arms like that.   
"So, what--you're going to make him wait?"   
  
"Want to know something?" Darien said, his voice suddenly   
getting mysterious.   
  
Serena followed him inside as he opened the door, and turned   
on the lights in the house. She looked at him, puzzled. "Sure. What?"   
  
"I don't have a plan to meet Andrew in the park tonight,"   
Darien told her, his eyes dancing.   
  
Serena raised an eyebrow. "You lied? Why would you do that?"  
  
"I didn't want to go anywhere after pizza, and I know that   
I would never hear the end of it if I didn't come up with a excuse for   
Raye as to why I couldn't go," Darien answered easily, sitting down on   
the sofa and clicking on the television.   
  
"You make it sound like Raye's your mother or something,"   
Serena commented, sitting on the sofa's armrest, a good distance from   
Darien.   
  
Darien smirked, flipping through a channel. "She acts like   
one sometimes."   
  
Serena smiled. "By the way--do you have any idea what's going   
on between Raye and Chad?"   
  
"I don't know…I never really cared. When Chad first moved in,   
Raye despised him. But now--she changed her attitude, I guess," he   
answered, eyes focused on the TV screen.   
  
Serena nodded. "Well," she stood up. "I'll be finishing up the   
stuff in my room."   
  
"Hey Serena?" Darien called out.   
  
Serena turned around. "What?"   
  
"Do you like it here?"   
  
Serena was stunned. What kind of question was that? "Wha-what   
do you mean?"   
  
"I mean," Darien turned his head, his midnight blue eyes   
locked with hers, "do you think you'll be able to like living here?"   
  
Serena searched his eyes, and realized that he actually was   
being serious. "I-I…I don't know. Probably."   
  
"Okay," he answered. Then cleared his throat, and turned his   
head back to face the TV again. "Okay." He said it again, a little more   
loudly.   
  
Serena turned back around again, walking up the stairs.   
  
"And Serena?"   
  
Serena stopped. Her heart took a hard pound against her chest.   
"What?" she replied. Was he going to ask another question like that   
again?  
  
"Can you get me a can of beer?"   
  
Serena rolled her eyes, annoyance shooting through her, and   
continued up the stairs. "Get it yourself, you lazybug, I'm not a maid!"  
  
  
  
Serena heard laughter. She stuck her head out her bedroom   
door, and looked down the short but wide hallway. "Raye?"   
  
Raye raised her head, and beamed a huge smile at Serena.   
"Hey!"   
  
Serena came out of her room, and stood with her hands on her   
hips. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you had fun at the Amusement   
park?"   
  
Raye nodded, giggling again. "Yep. Chad was sooo hilarious!   
I couldn't stop laughing on the rides, even when we were riding up and   
down on the roller coasters!"   
  
"I'm glad you had fun…" Serena said, smiling back.   
  
"And you know what?" Another giggle and a blush.   
  
"What?"   
  
"He asked me out to movies tomorrow night!" Raye exclaimed,   
together with another giggle.   
  
Serena gasped. "You're serious?"   
  
Raye nodded.   
  
"That's great!"  
  
"Hee…" Raye yawned, and shot a shy look toward the bedroom   
door beside Serena's door…Chad's room.  
  
"Where's Chad?" Serena asked.   
  
"He's downstairs, talking and laughing with Darien, of course,"   
Raye answered, taking steps into her bedroom, which was the first room   
by the stairs. "Goodnight, Sere."   
  
"Uh…goodnight," Serena answered. Sere? She went back into her   
room, closing the door behind her. Did they become good friends already   
that Raye had started giving her a nickname? And what a coincidence it   
was…it was the same nickname Mina had for her.   
  
With that thought on mind, Serena rushed toward her new desk.   
She remembered she had put it somewhere… She pushed aside other papers,   
and saw a little white paper with a flower drawn on it. Serena smiled,   
took the paper, and opened it. On it contained Mina's address in London.   
  
Serena grabbed a pen from the pencil holder she had placed on   
the desk and looked around for a white piece of paper. Uh-oh. She had   
an alarming thought. I didn't…oh no…I forgot…   
  
Sighing, Serena put down her pen with a thunk, and walked out   
the door to Raye's room. "Raye?" She knocked on the door.   
  
No answer.  
  
Serena knocked again. Again no answer. She leaned back, and   
frowned. She walked back to her room, but then heard a shower running   
sound from inside the bathroom between her and Chad's room. She must   
be taking a shower. Serena bit her lip, and then walked downstairs   
into the living room.   
  
"Hey Serena!" Chad was all smiles.   
  
"Hey Chad." Serena smiled back, knowing the reason that he   
was grinning so hard.   
  
"Um…do one of you have a blank sheet of white, lined paper that   
could be used for letter writing? The three-holes kind is the best."   
Serena's eyes darted between Darien and Chad. "I ran out of them."   
  
"Gee, Serena, does the paper have to be college rule, too? Or   
do you need the wide kind?" Darien replied sarcastically.   
  
"Do you?" Serena asked, ignoring his comment.   
  
"I think I have one somewhere around in my drawer…" Chad said,   
about to go upstairs.   
  
"Don't bother…I can get it, so Chad doesn't have to crawl all   
the way upstairs to get a paper for you," Darien said, walking in to   
his room behind the stairs.   
  
Serena stared after him, not saying anything.   
  
When he came out, he gave the paper to Serena, and led Chad   
toward the sofa, talking again. Serena started her way upstairs. She   
fingered the paper in her hands. She stopped on the top of the stairs,   
and looked at it, borrowing the light the hallway provided. She counted   
the paper, and found that instead of one, there were five white pieces   
of paper. "No wonder they felt thick…" Serena smiled, an image of   
Darien appearing in her mind, and she blushed.  
  
She sat down on the chair in the bedroom, and began writing.   
  
Dear Mina,  
  
Hey! How are you? How are things in London? I miss you sooo much!  
  
Right here, everything's fine, I guess. I've got to tell you   
something, though. Remember that guy in the market who caught me trying   
to open that box of milk? Well, guess what? He's one of my new   
ROOMMATES! CAN you believe it? Ugh. He's made the fact that he hates   
me pretty clear…with all those insults and sarcastic remarks. But I   
think I've made the fact that I hate HIM pretty obvious too…at least,   
I think so. You know me. I get tongue-tied sometimes when someone   
makes a bad remark about me to my face.  
  
Still, now that I've spend almost a day with him, I've got to   
admit, Min…he is REALLY gorgeous. In fact, I think he's even more   
handsome than Daniel…! Now, that's something, don't you think? If you   
ever see him, you will faint. Wait…I'm stretching it here. I think he's   
cute, yes, but remember this, Min…I DESPISE HIM.   
  
But something happened just tonight, though, about two hours   
ago. We just came back from a place called Papa Joe's, a pizza place,   
and Raye and Chad went to the Amusement park nearby. They wanted all of   
us to go, but I didn't feel like it. Turned out, Darien didn't, either.   
So he drove me home since he took us to Joe's in his car, and we   
exchanged a few words before I was walking up the stairs. And then…  
Min, and then he asked me something like, "Do you think you'll be able   
to like it here?" How was I supposed to answer that, Min? But I just   
said probably. And that's true, anyway…if he wasn't one of the   
roommates, I would've answered yes. He's annoying, but Raye and Chad   
are pretty cool, though.   
  
Speaking of them, I think they like each other. At first they   
didn't show it, though, especially on the interview we had for the   
room. When they were asking me questions and showing me around the   
house, they kept shooting each other these annoyed looks. But tonight,   
after Raye got back from the park with Chad, she was all giddy. And   
Chad? He was smiling so hard I'm afraid his face will stay stretched   
out after he stopped smiling.   
  
But, it's cute, though. They look pretty good together.   
  
Anyway, what about you? How are you doing? Is your mom all   
right to you? Seriously, Min, you really should give her a chance.   
It's not completely her fault that your Dad left…she needs you, and I   
think you need her, too, Min, although you wouldn't admit it…even when   
I was practically pounding on your head. Still, you went back to   
London, and that means you at least have SOME love left for your mom,   
right?  
  
Well…that's it, I guess.   
  
Min…I just want to say…I really, really miss you.   
  
Write me back…you promised, remember?  
  
Lots of hugs,  
  
Serena.   
  
Serena folded the letter and placed it under a marble display   
cup. She would mail it tomorrow…when she got an envelope, that is.   
  
She groaned.   
  
  
  
"Hey, Raye--where's everyone?" Darien asked, coming out of his   
room.   
  
Raye looked at her cousin, and smiled secretly. "I don't know.   
Chad's probably somewhere with his friends. Serena's out, getting some   
envelopes and stamps."   
  
"I didn't ask where Serena is," Darien replied carelessly,   
walking in to the kitchen.   
  
Raye sighed and got up from where she sat on the floor,   
reading a romantic novel. "Well, geez, sorry I felt like I should tell   
you since you asked where's EVERYONE, not just where's CHAD!"   
  
Darien walked in the living room, holding an apple in his   
hands. "What did you say Serena went, though? Getting envelopes and   
stamps?"   
  
"Yeah…" Raye folded the page where she left off, and put the   
book on the coffee table, then turned around to face her cousin.   
  
Darien glanced around the room, and before he knew the words   
in his brain, he asked, "Don't we have envelopes and stamps that you   
could borrow to her? Don't make her go the extra miles."   
  
A smile was beginning to form on Raye's lips. "You actually   
care, Darien?"   
  
Darien stared at Raye for a moment. Then he shrugged, and   
went back in his room, while saying, "It's pretty hot out today, I   
wouldn't want ANYONE to go under the sun for just some envelopes and   
stamps."   
  
"Yeah…whatever, cousin," Raye mumbled to herself, a big grin   
lit on her face.   
  
Darien locked the door to his room, cursing himself. Now why   
did he done that? Don't make her go the extra miles. He snorted as he   
recalled his words, and fell back on his bed, turning on the boombox   
sitting on the floor beside it.   
  
He would've said it if it was Chad, too, not just Serena.   
  
Raye knocked on his door. He turned down the volume on the   
boombox.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I'm going out, okay?"   
  
"Fine. Do you need my permission?"   
  
"Shut up, bonehead."   
  
Darien heard the door close. He turned up the volume again,   
closing his eyes.   
  
  
When he opened his eyes again later, he realized that he had   
fallen asleep. The boombox was still on full blast, and he quickly   
turned it off. He felt sweat on his forehead. The clock read 4:32. He   
glanced around his room, and knew that he had been sweating because the   
window and the door were both closed. He shook his head.   
  
"Why did I fall asleep?" He unlocked his door, and there was   
no one in the living room. He stood in the middle of the living room,   
and looked toward the rooms upstairs. All three bedroom doors were   
closed, but the bathroom was wide open.  
  
That got him toward the bathroom beside the starting of the   
stairs, the bathroom that he always used. The others always used either   
the bathroom upstairs, or the bathroom inside the small so-called   
family room.  
  
The bathroom door was half-closed, the little open space   
allowing him to see the wall the towels were all hanging on. He began   
unbuttoning his white dress shirt with his right hand as his left hand   
went to open the door all the way.   
  
He heard a shriek even before he had the door wide open.   
Darien stopped fumbling with his buttons, which had unbuttoned down to   
his abdomen, with only two more left.   
  
His eyes widened when they registered that there was another   
person in the bathroom.   
  
Serena was standing there, one hand frozen in midair holding a   
hairbrush, the other pressed down on the sink. He saw that she only had   
on a long white shirt that barely reached down her hips to her thighs.   
Her hair was wet, and her blue eyes were huge as they looked into his   
shocked dark blue ones.   
  
For a moment, neither spoke.   
  
Then, as if gathering her senses, Serena shouted, "What the   
HELL do you THINK you're DOING?"  
  
Darien took a step back, still shocked to his bones. "I didn't   
know you were in here. The door wasn't even CLOSED!" he replied.   
  
"Well, I didn't know you were going to march right in here!"   
  
"Why didn't you close the damn door?"   
  
"It was hot!" Serena screamed, her face twisted into a fury   
expression. "So I opened the door, a LITTLE tiny bit ONLY! That didn't   
give you the right to shove open the door!"  
  
"The door was open! The door was OPEN! That USUALLY means one   
thing--no one is inside!" Darien exclaimed, his annoyance building up.   
  
"Ugh!" Serena growled, her eyes flashing angrily at him.   
"Can you just GET OUT so I can finish up in here?"   
  
"Certainly. Take your time, as long as you have the door   
CLOSED this time so no one else would make the mistake again that   
there's no one inside the bathroom!" Darien told her, scowling.   
  
"Of course!" He barely had time to step back before Serena   
reached back and slammed the door in his face.   
  
Darien went straight into the living room, sat down, and   
fumed.   
  
  
Serena quickly pulled on her jeans, and then looked again to   
make sure the door was locked. She was breathing so heavily that she   
was afraid she might start to hyperventilate. Heck, she almost did just   
then.   
  
How dare he! How dare that jerk unexpectedly come in the   
bathroom with her in it wearing only a shirt and underwear, and then   
shout at her about the door not being closed!  
  
Well, maybe she should have closed the door all the way, but   
it wasn't like she thought anyone would come in exactly at that moment.   
She learned a lesson about living here today.   
  
As she continued to brush her tangled hair, her mind reflected   
back to the moment that Darien had opened the bathroom door. His shirt   
had been almost all the way unbuttoned, allowing Serena to see the   
results of his obvious workouts. She blushed, at the same time thinking   
how ironic the situation had been--him ready to, apparently, take a   
shower, shirt open, and her, just finished taking a shower, and   
half-way dressed.  
  
Ironic, all right.   
  
  
  
Serena rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Come again,   
Raye?"   
  
Raye just giggled once more.   
  
"The move date with Chad went well, I presume?" Serena tried   
again.   
  
Raye nodded, grinning.   
  
Serena smiled. "Wanna tell me the details?"   
  
Raye blushed, and looked away.   
  
"I guess that means not now. So, like--are you guys an item   
now?"   
  
Raye stopped smiling and stared at Serena. She seemed to be   
thinking deeply. "I don't know. Does one date, two, actually, if you   
want to count that trip to the amusement park, make you a couple?"   
  
Serena smiled. "I don't know. Depends how deep the dates are…"  
she grinned.   
  
"Stop!" Raye giggled, and went into her room. She sat on the   
bed, and smiled secretly.  
  
Serena hovered by the door. "Are you going anywhere later   
tonight?"   
  
Raye looked up. "No, actually. Are you?"   
  
"No," Serena answered with a smile. "You want to borrow a   
tape from a video store and watch it together?"   
  
Raye smiled. "Yeah. I would like that. I make good popcorns."   
  
Serena laughed turned to go. Maybe I'll become good friends   
with Raye.   
  
**************  
  
http://www6.brinkster.com/moonieround  
  
  



	3. Try Me

Try me - part 3  
By Henra  
HenraM@tuxedomask.com   
PG rated  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters in the show.   
I just use them for my own fics. No crime in that, right?   
  
*************  
  
Serena placed her letter to Mina in an envelope while she   
was walking downstairs toward the front door, to mail it. Before reaching   
the door, though, she took a look at the envelope and groaned. She forgot   
to put the stupid stamp. Sighing, Serena put the envelope down on the sofa,   
and marched upstairs again.  
  
She should've mailed the letter two days ago. But she had   
spent the time mostly with Raye, buying new outfits for the upcoming fall   
semester, chatting about all kinds of sophomore year stuff. She and Raye   
had suddenly become very good friends.   
  
She raced into her room, and pulled open her drawer. She took   
out a whole sheet of stamps, and pulled one off, placing her index finger   
on a corner of it. She took a step toward her bedroom door.   
  
The phone rang. Serena grunted, and lifted the receiver with   
her left hand. "Hello?"   
  
"Hello, this is the Cansas Collection of Arts gallery's   
manager speaking. Is this the Caseley slash Duncan slash Kansie household?"   
  
Serena almost laughed. The name sounded so ridiculous, yet   
so pleasing. "Um, yes."   
  
"Well, the CCA gallery is having a bunch of beautiful paintings   
for sale next Wednesday night from seven to nine in the evening…and…are you   
interested in arts?" The woman asked.  
  
"No, actually. I'm not very interested, I'm afraid, sorry,"   
Serena said politely.   
  
"Well." There was a pause. "Do you know if anyone in your   
household is interested, then?"   
  
She thought about Chad. Definitely a no-no. Raye? Didn't   
seem like an art-lover to her. Darien…ha! She would keel over with laughter   
if she found out that Darien was actually interested in something as serious  
as arts. "Um, well…not exactly. But," Serena added, trying to be as polite   
as she could, "would you like to leave me a phone number or something, in   
case one of them IS interested?"   
  
The voice was full of delight. "Of course! Do you have a   
paper and a pen?"  
  
"Yeah," she answered, not moving.   
  
When she 'took' the phone number, the woman gladly hanged   
up the phone. Serena scribbled the numbers on a post-it note, and took the   
piece of paper in her right hand while the stamp was sticking on to one of   
her left hand's fingers down the stairs.   
  
She would hang the number up on the fridge or something,   
and if someone asked (unlikely), she would tell them about it. But,   
something made her stop cold when she reached the living room. Looking at   
the empty spot where her letter used to be on the sofa, and Darien, sitting   
on the sofa, holding and reading a paper with writing on it, an opened   
envelope in his left hand, Serena felt her blood boil. "What the hell   
are you doing?" she shouted, moving as fast as she could and snatched the   
letter from him. The post-it note had fallen to the floor because of the   
sudden rush of air, but she didn't bother to bend and pick it up.   
  
Darien stood up. "I didn't mean to read your letter, Serena,   
let me--"  
  
"I don't want to HEAR IT!" Serena screamed, losing control of   
herself, "What did you THINK you were doing, reading my PRIVATE letter to   
my friend, huh?! Do you have no respect for people's privacy AT ALL?!"   
  
Darien took a step toward her. Serena backed off, holding up a   
hand, which from what he saw, had a stamp stuck on it. "Listen, Chad told   
me that the rent he had for this month was placed in an envelope, and he   
had put it in the kitchen, and there wasn't any envelope in the kitchen,   
so I--"  
  
"--Saw the envelope on the sofa, picked it up, realized that there   
wasn't any money in it, only a paper that began with 'Dear Mina', knew that   
it was a letter, but still read it anyway?" Serena exclaimed incredulously,   
her eyes flashing angrily.   
  
"I didn't mean to do it! My eyes just scanned the first few lines   
and I realized that I played a part…so…"   
  
She stared at him. She took a deep breath. "How far have you read   
up to?"   
  
"The part…about Raye and Chad being cute together," he answered.  
  
Serena's eyes widened. Oh, the horror! That meant he already read   
the part about her thinking that he was gorgeous…more gorgeous than Daniel…  
  
As if on cue, he asked casually, "So, um…who's Daniel, anyway?"   
  
Serena glared at him. "As if you don't know much about my private   
life already!"  
  
He smirked, and she wanted to strangle him. "An old boyfriend   
of yours?"   
  
"That's none of your damn business," she replied crossly. She   
placed the stamp she had stuck on her finger to the right top corner of   
the envelope, and folded the letter in its original creases, then put it   
in the envelope.   
  
"So…you think I'm drop-dead gorgeous, huh?" He grinned, flashing   
his perfect white teeth.  
  
Despite herself, Serena felt her heart miss a beat seeing him   
smile like that. It was rare, she decided. She always saw him with either   
a blank expression, an angry face, or a careless smirk. She gave him a glare   
that could freeze hell. "And I despise you." But on the inside, she knew   
that she had never been more embarrassed her whole life. Now his ego is   
going to be even bigger…  
  
"Still…" His eyes twinkled.  
  
"Stay out of my way, all right?" Serena started toward the door.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
She stopped and turned around. "The mailbox. Do you need something   
you want me to do?" she asked bitingly.  
  
He widened his eyes for an innocent look, and shook his head.   
  
"Bye." Her hand went to the front door knob. She pulled it open,   
and stepped out.   
  
"Wait."   
  
His voice sounded different now. More serious, somehow.  
  
She stepped back in, and turned to look at him. "What?"   
  
"About what you said in the letter…"  
  
Oh god. She felt like groaning out loud. What other mocking   
comments was he going to throw at her?   
  
"Me making sarcastic remarks and insults at you…don't necessarily   
mean that I automatically hate you…" Darien spoke quietly.  
  
Her stomach did a flip-flop. "Oh, really?" She managed her voice to   
sound extremely doubtful. Oh my god…what's he saying?  
  
"Come on--you have to admit, you didn't make a good first impression   
on me…and I do dislike you…but I don't hate you."   
  
Her eyes locked with his. She didn't know what to say. His eyes…the   
midnight blue shade was such a mystery to her…one minute all derisive, the   
next minute all sincere…Why, oh why was he doing this again? Like what he   
did last time when he asked her if she was going to like living here…he   
became so completely serious and into what he was saying, she felt as if…  
as if--  
  
Suddenly, something in his eyes flickered, and they became mocking   
again. "Not yet, anyway."   
  
She caught the words 'Not yet what' before they flew out of her   
mouth. He meant he didn't hate her…yet. Serena cleared her throat, focusing   
again. Be careful, Serena. "Really. Geez, thanks. You've just made my   
day," she said in a flat voice. She saw Darien smirk and she knew that   
she didn't really lose herself.   
  
"Have a fun trip to the mailbox, Serena," he said, climbing the   
flight of stairs.   
  
Serena stared at his back. "What are you going upstairs for?"   
  
She saw him freeze. He turned around. Then frowned. "Geez, why AM   
I going upstairs? My bedroom is downstairs." He mumbled something that she   
couldn't hear, and then he went back down the steps, into his bedroom,   
slamming the door after him.  
  
Serena sighed. "Whatever."   
  
  
  
Later that night, Serena came downstairs sleepily, wearing her   
night jersey, wanting something to eat. She had just woke up from her   
sleep, and couldn't go back to sleep again. She sighed, and felt her feet   
landed down the last steps. She walked toward the kitchen, and then heard   
a small noise coming from the sofa. She froze, and her heart almost   
stopped. She walked quietly to where she thought the light switch was on   
the wall by the door. She flipped it on, and her eyes were blinded by the   
light for a moment.   
  
Blinking rapidly, she looked toward the sofa, and she almost   
hyperventilated.   
  
Darien was lying there, shirtless. He wasn't asleep, and he sat   
straight up when the light came on. His eyes fixed on Serena.   
  
Neither spoke, probably from the shock of seeing each other at two   
in the morning.   
  
"Why are you sleeping here instead of your bedroom?" Serena asked   
finally, adjusted to the light.   
  
"It was too hot in my room."   
  
"Why couldn't you open the door and the window?"   
  
"I did, and it was still hot."   
  
Serena raised an eyebrow. "And it's cooler here?"   
  
"Not much, but enough," he answered, a lopsided grin on his face.   
"What's your reason?"  
  
"I couldn't go back to sleep after I suddenly woke up. So, I   
thought I would go to the kitchen and get something to eat."   
  
"Oh."   
  
She caught him giving her an once-over. Suddenly she was very   
much aware of her jersey that usually became twisted around her when she   
got out of bed. She looked down, and immediately she flushed in embarrassment.   
She turned the jersey back around, not daring to see if Darien was watching   
her.   
  
He made a sound that seemed like a cough.   
  
Serena walked in the kitchen and turned on the light. And it was   
after that she had got a carton of her juice out she was actually aware   
that Darien was sitting on one of the high stools around the marble counter,   
which was in the center of the kitchen. She looked at him, then looked   
away, realizing that her eyes had, again, traveled down to his chest. She   
focused them on opening her juice, and started drinking straight from   
the carton.   
  
"You just drink the juice like that? Without a cup or anything?"   
His voice sounded amused.  
  
Serena looked at him. "This is my juice…no one else touches it   
in this household…" She made a point of glaring at him.   
  
He held up his hands, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Hey,   
don't look at me! I don't even LIKE apple juices."   
  
"Uh-huh." Serena folded back the crease on the opening of the   
carton, and put it back into the refrigerator. Ah. The cool juice felt   
good down in her stomach.  
  
He propped up his chin with his hand, sticking his elbow on the   
cool marble. "You really don't trust me, do you, Serena?"   
  
She turned around, and glared at him, silent.   
  
"I'll take that as a no," he answered, looking at her.  
  
She pointed her index finger in his direction. "Smart boy."   
  
He smirked.   
  
Serena started to walk out of the kitchen, toward the flight of   
stairs.  
  
"Gonna try to get some sleep?"   
  
She answered without stopping, "Yeah. You?"  
  
"Of course."   
  
"Good." She walked up the stairs, the urge to drift back into   
sleep growing. The juice must've did the trick. She thought as she walked   
into her bedroom.   
  
Darien went back to the sofa again. He lay down, using the   
armrest as pillow. He couldn't get that image of her, the moment she   
flipped the light on out of his mind. Her baby blue eyes wide with shock,   
that jersey twisted around her…  
  
She's pretty hot underneath all that ice.   
  
  
She was having a dream.   
  
In it, she was walking slowly down the block, her bag in her   
right hand, swinging along the side of her. It was nighttime, and so it   
was amazingly dark. Even the streetlights didn't seem to light up any part   
of the empty block. The houses by either side all were rid of any light…  
everyone was asleep during this hour.   
  
She walked quietly, somehow feeling very happy. The night's cool   
air brushed against her face, leaving her feeling very calm and relaxed.  
Her eyes were set straight in front, targeting on a two-stories house far   
ahead. She quickened her pace, feeling the urge to quickly go inside the   
house.   
  
Someone was sitting on the ground against the front door.   
  
When she saw him, she slowed her walk automatically. Her   
heart pounded. 'Hi.'   
  
He stood up. She stopped walking when she was about five feet   
away from him. 'Hey.' He replied, giving her a smile.   
  
'What are you doing here?'   
  
He took a step closer to her. She felt her heart skip a beat.   
'Waiting for you to show up.'  
  
She stared at him, into the eyes that she loved so much. 'Why?'  
'Because.' His eyes twinkled. 'You know.'   
  
She took several steps toward him, shortening their space   
between each other. To her, something like that was bold. Especially when she   
was facing him in a dark street where no one was in sight. 'No, actually.'   
She looked teasingly at him. 'I don't know. Would you like to enlighten me?'   
  
Somehow, he came to stand very close. 'Certainly.' Then he   
took her in his arms and kissed her.   
  
'Darien…'   
  
  
Her eyes popped open.   
  
For a moment, Serena stayed still, breathing heavily. Then she   
twisted to her right and snapped on the light. She blinked, and flipped   
open the sheets. She was actually sweating.   
  
She had been dreaming about Darien.   
  
Darien and her. Kissed.   
  
Serena took a deep breath, and started to pace around in her   
room. She grabbed her furry bathrobe and tied it around herself, pushing   
open one side of the floor-to-ceiling window, and walking out to the balcony.   
She needed to think.   
  
And calm herself.   
  
A dream doesn't mean anything, right? She heard something   
from beneath the balcony. Serena leaned a little over railing and looked   
down, squinting in the dark to see what it was.   
  
And then immediately, her pulse quickened.   
  
Darien was in the backyard, still shirtless, hair tousled,   
and he paced around the yard, making little noises with his feet.   
  
She ignored her racing heart for a moment, and fully   
studied him, borrowing the dim light a street lamp from the block next to   
theirs provided. Although in the dream, the guy's face was blurry, she  
could still remember the dark hair, the eyes…although they were, too,   
dark. And that last word she had spoken before she had opened her eyes.   
That single one word that began with a letter 'D'.   
  
She studied him, her eyes staring so burningly at him, she   
was almost afraid that he would feel it.   
  
Then, before she knew what was happening, Darien suddenly   
looked up…  
  
And stared straight into her eyes.   
  
Serena almost forgot to breathe. Even though it was a   
little pretty hard to see in the night, there was no mistaking how intense   
his eyes were. And he seemed to jump back a little, and Serena wondered   
which it was--seeing her standing right there where he had looked, or   
also spotting the emotions her eyes betrayed.   
  
And then, as soon as they made eye contact, they both   
looked away simultaneously.  
  
Serena wondered why he was out on the backyard, almost as   
soon as she had reached the balcony…wondered why his eyes were so intense,   
so deep…they almost mirrored her own. She wanted to look at him again, but   
was too afraid.   
  
Afraid of what? She didn't know. But she knew at least for   
that night, she didn't want to stare into his eyes again. On that thought,   
she threw a look inside her bedroom, and found the red digits on the   
digital clock that stood on her nightstand say 4:46. Just a few more   
hours, and Monday would be here.   
  
Serena stepped back from where she stood on the balcony, and   
shakily, walked inside again, closing the net of the window after her.   
  
  
  
"Morning, Serena!" Raye greeted with a smile.   
  
Serena raised an eyebrow as she got her cereal out of the cabinet.   
"At least somebody's happy this morning."   
  
Raye stared at her. "What's wrong?"   
  
Serena poured some cereal into a bowl, and then went to get the   
milk. "Nothing, really. I just--don't feel like 'good morning'."   
  
Raye smiled. "Guess you're not a morning person. Aha! Something   
new I learn about you."   
  
She smiled back. She opened the refrigerator's door, and took her   
carton of milk. She frowned when she got it out. It was almost too light.   
Opening the carton, she somehow got a very bad feeling…  
  
The carton was empty.   
  
Serena felt like screaming. She turned around, and immediately,   
she knew that Raye knew something was wrong.   
  
"Are you okay?"   
  
Serena held the carton out for Raye to see. "It's empty. Yesterday  
morning when I drank it, it was still half-full. Now--it's empty. And I   
never touched it until right now."   
  
Raye rolled her eyes, and shook her head. "Must be Darien. Chad   
doesn't drink milk."   
  
"God, am I gonna give him a piece of my mind when he wakes up…"   
she looked at her cereal. "And what about my breakfast?"   
  
Raye stood from where she was eating a toast on a high stool   
around the counter, and got out a bottle of milk from the open fridge.   
"Here," she handed it to Serena, "have mine."  
  
Serena flashed a grateful smile at her. "Thanks."   
  
"No problem." Raye looked at her watch, and finished her toast   
in one big swallow. "Almost time for that stupid listening session." She   
walked out of the kitchen, while grabbing a napkin and wiping her mouth.   
"What for?" Serena asked after her.  
  
Raye stopped in the living room, and gave Serena a look through   
the kitchen entrance. "You DON'T wanna know."   
  
Serena laughed, and then went back to eating her cereal.   
  
"Bye!"   
  
Before she had a chance to reply, the front door slammed.   
  
A few minutes later, she finished her cereal. Standing up from   
the high stool, she took a step toward the single sink that was in the   
center of the round counter. She turned on the faucet, and water filled   
the bowl. She pushed it to a corner of the sink, deciding that she would   
wash it later.   
  
"Good morning." The voice was sleepy, unhappy, and male.   
  
But it made Serena's heart jump momentarily. She turned around,   
and saw Darien standing there, rubbing his eyes, a white sleeveless shirt   
and wrinkled old jeans on his body.   
  
She could almost smile. He definitely wasn't a morning person.   
Serena cleared her throat. "Morning."   
  
"Had a good night's sleep?" he asked without looking at her.   
  
"Yeah." She paused. "You?"  
  
He shrugged, opening the refrigerator. "More or less." He took out   
a bag of dinner rolls.   
  
She stared at it. "You are going to eat that for breakfast?"   
  
He opened the bag, giving her a smirk meanwhile. "Yeah. You got a   
problem?"   
  
Suddenly, she remembered about the milk. Serena narrowed her eyes   
at him. "You know…I had to drink Raye's milk this morning." She leaned back   
against the sink, her palms pressed down on the edge.   
  
He looked at her, not giving a sign that he understood what she was   
getting at. "So?"   
  
"My milk carton was empty."   
  
A small smirk appeared on his face, then quickly disappeared, a   
blank expression pasted on again. "Why are you informing me about that?"   
  
God, could he make this any easier? She thought sarcastically.   
"Oh, don't play dumb, Darien! If you had to drink milk, you could've asked,   
you know! And just so you know, you didn't have to place it right back in the   
fridge when it was EMPTY!"  
  
He got a roll out, twisted the bag around, and put it back in the   
fridge, then turned and faced her again. He took a bite. "And how do you   
know it was me?"   
  
"How do I know it wasn't you?" she replied, crossing her arms.   
  
He smirked. "Fine. So maybe I did drink it. What's the big deal?"  
  
"It wouldn't be a big deal if you had ASKED me first!"   
  
"Look, there's no name tag or anything on the carton, so how did   
I know it is yours?"  
  
Serena glared at him. "That's a damn sorry excuse, you and I both   
know it. Chad doesn't drink milk, and Raye's is a bottle. And how come you   
drink mine when you could drink hers?" Then, before he could open his mouth   
to reply, she went on again. "Just forget it. I don't care if you drink it,   
as long as you tell--no, you ASK me first, and you don't FINISH the whole   
thing."   
  
There seemed to be a flash of something like surprise across his   
face, but he quickly hid it. "All right, whatever." He finished the roll,  
and started to walk out of the kitchen, feeling sort of strange.  
  
Out of nowhere, a flash of her and Darien kissing in her dream   
appeared in front of her. Serena swallowed, and stared at his back.   
"Darien--"  
  
He stopped. Turned around, an eyebrow raised.   
  
"I--" She licked her lips, pausing. "…nothing."  
  
He watched her, eyes burning into her. Finally, he turned around   
again and went into his room.   
  
After hearing the door slam, Serena inhaled and exhaled deeply.   
  
Stop it. It was just a dream…a damn stupid dream.   
  
  
  
Serena was lying on her stomach reading a book when she heard a   
knock on her door. "It's not locked," she said without looking up.   
  
"Your car's in the way."   
  
She looked up, and wasn't surprised to find Darien there standing   
by her door, an exasperated look on his face. She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse   
me?"   
  
"Your car's in the way. I can't get out," he repeated.   
  
"Oh." Serena sat up, bounced once on the bed with her lower body to   
get off. "Sorry about that."  
  
He shrugged, and started downstairs.   
  
Serena quickly grabbed her keys from her desk, and followed him out   
the front door. There was his Mitsubishi, and her BMW, parked front-to-back.   
She pointed the little control at the car, and it automatically unlocked. "Are   
you in a real hurry?" she asked as she opened the door.  
  
"I have to go work at the market."   
  
She turned on the engine, and started to back out of the driveway   
onto the empty street. She stopped the car when there was more than enough   
space for Darien's car to get out.   
  
He climbed in his car, and backed out of the driveway. He stopped his   
car some distance from Serena's. She quickly swirled left with her steering   
wheel and parked her car in the place where Darien's car had been. She got out,   
and locked the car again with her control, hearing a little beep-beep noise.   
  
She was about to go inside again when he called her. "Serena!"   
  
She stopped. Then she turned around and walked to his car warily.   
"What?"   
  
He looked at her, and half-smiled. "Do you…always drink the nonfat   
kind of milk?"   
  
"Yeah." Then, she added, getting suspicious, "Why?"   
  
He just smiled again, in an innocent kind of way. "No reason, really."   
Then, he released the brake and sped away.   
  
Serena stood there, barefoot, watching him, a frown on her face.   
Finally, she shrugged and went back in the house, nudging the door close with   
her foot. She didn't want to know what Darien was up to.  
  
  
  
Serena got off her bed, tossing the third book that she was reading   
today onto it, and walked out of her room toward the bathroom. She rubbed her   
eyes, a little dizzy from reading for a long time. She glanced at Chad's room   
as she passed by. The door was wide open.   
  
She was already at the bathroom door when suddenly she froze. Her eyes   
were wide as she quietly walked backwards to Chad's room again. She couldn't   
just saw what she thought she had seen…right?   
  
She looked in Chad's room again, carefully hiding her body behind the   
opened door.   
  
Raye and Chad were sitting on the floor, leaning against one side   
of the bed.   
  
And they were kissing.   
  
Serena resisted the urge to gasp. She felt a slow smile spreading   
across her face, and tiptoed to the bathroom again.   
  
She closed the door, and smiled.   
  
Damn…disliking each other the first day, then going out on a day   
the next day, then kissing in a room with the door open after that? She   
shook her head, but the smile widened on her face.   
  
After Serena came out of the bathroom, she decided to go downstairs   
to get some snack. The front door opened just as she was halfway down the   
stairs.   
  
Darien came in, a little grocery bag in his left hand.   
  
Serena looked at her watch. Wow. I didn't know it's this late   
already. She caught his eye as he looked up. "Hi." Then, she went into the   
kitchen.   
  
He came in a few seconds later, and dropped the brown-paper bag on   
the kitchen counter. "What's with that look on your face?"   
  
Her eyes widened. She looked at him, hand on the fridge's door   
handle. "What look?"   
  
He shrugged, sticking his hand into the small bag. "That goofy look."   
  
She looked down at the floor. Was she STILL smiling about Raye   
and Chad? She didn't feel as if she was, though. Serena smiled at Darien,   
and wetted her lips. "I saw Raye and Chad making out in Chad's room."   
  
He stopped, his hand still inside the bag. "What." It was a flat   
tone, so it was more a statement than a question.   
  
She nodded, and opened the refrigerator's door.   
  
"Damn."   
  
Serena got a small bucket of ice cream out, and put it down on the   
middle counter. She then went fishing for a spoon in one of the cabinets.   
"What does that 'damn' mean?"   
  
"Oh, just, you know--damn. Damn, that Raye and Chad are making out  
with each other."   
  
She sat down on a stool, and started eating the ice cream right   
out of the bucket. She watched as he crumpled the paper bag into a ball,   
and tossed it in the small trashcan beside his feet on the floor. She glanced   
up carelessly…and suddenly froze.   
  
The place on the counter before Darien, sat a carton-sized milk.   
And Serena could see clearly the words "nonfat" printed on the front of the   
carton. She went to stare at her ice cream, a half-smile on her lips. No   
WONDER he drank mine. He likes the same kind of milk I do.  
  
"…kind right?"   
  
Serena glanced up and was startled to find that Darien was right in   
front of her, his face practically only two inches away, a question in his   
eyes.  
  
His eyes…so blue…so beautiful…  
  
"Uh--um…what?" She felt her heart pound.   
  
He smirked, and put some distance between them again, giving Serena   
a chance to actually recollect herself. "I said, you drink the nonfat kind   
of milk…right?"   
  
"Uh-yeah. Yeah." She swallowed, and took a deep breath. "Um, why?"  
  
Darien slid the carton of milk toward her. "Did I buy it right?"   
  
She stared at the milk. She looked at him, not understanding. "You   
bought what right?"  
  
"The milk."   
  
She went to stare at the milk again.   
  
Darien was exasperated. He walked closer to her again, and picked up   
the carton, showing it to her face. "This milk that I bought, is it the kind   
that you drink?"   
  
She looked at the milk. "Yeah." Then she looked up at him again.   
"So?"   
  
"Good." He placed the milk on place beside the ice cream, and   
started to walk out of the kitchen. "Now I returned you the milk I've drank…  
and more." He turned and smiled at her, then turned and walked to the   
living room.   
  
Serena stared after him.   
  
Then, she smiled. Looks like there's more to you than meets the   
eye.   
  
But don't worry, she thought as she stood up and put the ice   
cream back in the fridge, the spoon in the sink. I have patience. She   
looked at the carton of milk, unsure what to do with it. Then, she rolled   
her eyes, and shoved it in the fridge.   
  
Serena walked in the living room, finding Darien sitting on the   
sofa. She went to sit down next to him casually. "What are you watching?"   
  
He shrugged, not looking at her. "Nothing. There's nothing good   
these days. Summer's getting so boring." He leaned back, and stretched   
his arms, then folded them beneath his head.   
  
"The semester's about to start soon." Seemed like the only thing   
she could say.   
  
"Yeah. But I still have to wait three more weeks."   
  
"Well." Serena propped her elbow under the right side of her head,   
and placed the elbow on the armrest of the sofa. She tried to think of   
something to say. Almost immediately, an image of Darien, wearing only   
wrinkled slacks, staring straight into her eyes last night flashed before   
her. She tensed.   
  
He seemed to sense it. He looked at her, his blue eyes questioning.   
"What's wrong?"   
  
"Nothing." She tried to be casual. "Nothing, really."   
  
"Whatever." He focused on the TV screen again.   
  
"So…what were you doing out in the backyard last night, anyway?"   
She blurted out before the words registered in her mind.   
  
  
  
"I…I think I hear talking," Raye said breathlessly to Chad.   
  
He frowned, and threw a glance toward the door automatically. "So?"   
Raye bit her lip, smiling slightly. "So…I think we should stop   
and go down."   
  
He looked at her. "It's only Darien and Serena."   
  
"Yeah, but they don't know that--you know, we're together," Raye   
informed him shyly.   
  
Chad smiled, and pulled her closer, if that was even possible.   
"Then we should tell them."   
  
Raye's eyes widened. She looked up at him, gripping his arm.   
"We should?"   
  
"Yeah. Or…you just want to sneak around like this every time…" He   
offered, smiling.   
  
She smiled again, looking away. "Well, they already know that   
we've been on a date."   
  
"Not A date, two dates…remember?"   
  
"Of course. But, Chad--do you think things would be awkward? I   
mean, before--us four were fine. You know, everybody minded his or her own   
business. And now--don't you think when Serena or Darien see us together,   
they'll feel, I don't know--weird?"   
  
He shifted in his position. "Probably. But that's not what we   
should think about right now. Right now, we go downstairs and tell them,   
officially--that we're with each other."   
  
Raye stood up, and caught a reflection of herself in the mirror.   
Her hair was a mess, and her red lipstick was all around her lips. She   
looked at Chad. "Uh…I think we should look at ourselves in the mirror   
first," she told him, eyeing his wrinkled clothes.   
  
He smiled, sheepishly.   
  
  
  
Oh, god. He so hated this. Why did she have to ask that? Darien   
felt queasy in his spot on the sofa. Damn. Why were his hands sweating? He   
glanced at Serena. She was looking at him, waiting for an answer,   
completely oblivious to what was happening to him inside. He cleared his   
throat, and tried to be cool. "Nothing, really."   
  
"Nothing?"   
  
What was that in her voice? He didn't want to know. He muted the TV,   
and turned to face her. "What were YOU doing out on the balcony anyway?"   
  
Her eyes widened a little. She wetted her lips, her eyes still   
locked with his. "Why are you trying to dodge the question?" She asked.   
  
He heard the little doubt in her voice. But he knew that her   
question had hit home. He WAS trying to dodge the question. "I just…I had   
a…a nightmare." Yeah, right, just the complete opposite of that.   
  
"R-really? Well…what was it about?" She sounded interested.   
  
Darien looked into her eyes, unblinking. "It was a nightmare,   
Serena. What do you mean what it was about?"   
  
"I was just curious, that's all." Serena looked away.   
  
Darien pressed the mute button on the remote control again,   
and the noise filled the quiet living room. You don't wanna know the   
details, Serena. It'll freak you out, to say the least.   
  
"I had a dream last night, you know." Her voice sounded urgent,   
sounded as if she had been holding it in all day, and was waiting for the   
moment to burst.   
  
He looked at her, and this time he turned off the TV. Well,   
she was in a talkative mood, wasn't she? He half-smiled. "Okay. What kind   
of dream did you have?"   
  
  
Serena panicked. That wasn't supposed to come out! What was she   
thinking, blurting it out like that? She stared into his curious blue eyes,   
and felt trapped. Uh-oh. What was she suppose to say now?   
  
"Uh…you don't want to know, anyway," she said, hopeful.  
  
"No, no, no. It seems like you want to talk. And that's fine   
with me."   
  
Damn, his voice sounded so cool, so in control. Serena glanced   
around her helplessly, silently hoping that SOMETHING would happen, and   
it would save her from this situation.   
  
Wait.   
  
She suddenly had a thought. She could tell him. But she doesn't   
have to say who it was. She'll just say that it was a guy with dark eyes   
and hair…she wouldn't say that it was him. Darien wouldn't know that if   
she didn't tell him.   
  
She felt satisfied with her quick thinking. She wetted her lips,   
and smiled at him. "Well, fine, I'll tell you." She felt her heart pound.   
You don't have to do this, you know. You can just make up some kind of   
weird dream--any kind of dream. But, somehow, she felt like seeing his   
reaction after she told it. Even more, she wanted to know what kind of   
guy he would guess it was.  
  
"It was at night, so it was very dark, all around me. I couldn't   
really see anything. I was walking, toward a…a house two stories high. And   
when I almost reached there…I saw this guy. I don't really remember, but   
he had, um, dark hair and dark eyes. But maybe he had light hair, who   
knows--it WAS dark." She felt like congratulating herself on the casual way   
that she was telling it. "Then, when I was like, a few feet away from him,   
he stood up, and I said 'Hi' to him, and--"  
  
"He smiled and said hi back to you," Darien said quietly.   
  
She looked at him, but he wasn't looking at her. "Right." She was   
amazed that he could guess, but maybe that kind of response for 'Hi' was   
common. "Anyway," Serena continued on, looking at the light blue carpet   
floor, "I asked him 'What are you doing here' and the guy--well, I don't   
know who he is--stepped closer to me, and he was smiling the whole time.   
He replied 'Waiting for you', and I asked 'Why'. Then, he told me, 'Because…  
you know.' And I stepped closer to him, and said--"  
  
"'No actually, I don't know. Would you like to enlighten me?' And   
he said, 'Certainly', and he took you in his arms and kissed you…And, then,   
you murmured…"  
  
"Darien," Serena whispered without thinking, as if in a trance.   
  
They stared at each other. Serena felt her heart hammering against   
her chest, and her whole body felt numb. She realized in an instant, that   
the 'nightmare' Darien had been talking about, was actually the 'dream' she   
had been talking about.   
  
She didn't look away, and he didn't, either.   
  
"It was you…"  
  
Who said that? She didn't know. And it didn't matter. All that   
mattered was the way he was looking at her, and the way she was looking   
back at him…  
  
  
"Hey, Darien, Serena. Raye and I have something to tell--" Chad   
stopped talking in midsentence, freezing on his spot after he took a good   
look at the two people before him.   
  
Raye was still. She noticed that there was something different   
in the air. She glanced at Chad, and knew that he sensed it, too. She looked   
back at Serena and Darien again.   
  
The way those two were staring at each other…she felt a thrill   
going through her.   
  
Raye swallowed. She didn't know whether to break this thing in the   
air between the two or walk away from it. She gripped Chad's arm.   
  
Apparently, he had already made a decision. "Yo, Darien, Serena!"   
His voice sounded like thunder to the silence in the room. "What's up with   
you two?"   
  
  
In the back of his mind somewhere, Darien heard someone call his   
name…and hers, too. Before he knew it, both him and Serena had cleared their   
faces, and were now looking at each other in a new light. He didn't know   
whether to hug the person who said their names or punch him for destroying   
whatever it had hang between him and Serena.   
  
"You were the one in my dream," he stated, surprised at how clear   
his voice sounded.   
  
"I thought you said it was a nightmare," Serena retorted, her eyes   
focused on him, a bit of sadness in them.   
  
"I…" He didn't know what to say. It wasn't a nightmare, he WANTED to   
say, but he couldn't find his voice again after he muttered that one sentence.   
  
"So…what happened?"   
  
He turned to the voice the same time Serena did. He stood up from   
the sofa, nearly tripping over his own feet. "H-hi, Raye, Chad," he choked   
out.   
  
Raye's eyes darted back and forth between Darien and Serena, a   
smile on her lips. "Hi."   
  
"What happened to you two? You look like you've found out the   
biggest secret about each other," Chad said, a grin on his face. "What did   
you find out, anyway?"   
  
Darien glanced at Serena, and suddenly tensed, reality slapping   
him right in the face. What just happened to me? To Serena? So what if we   
had the same dream? What does that prove? I need time alone to think. He   
waved a hand in the air, and willed himself to relax. "It was nothing, man.   
I'm going out. Later, guys." He fought not to look at Serena again as he   
walked to the door.  
  
Only when he was outside standing before his car, did he allow   
himself to glance at her through the open window. Her back was to him.   
  
Darien climbed in the car, shaking his head, and drove out of the   
driveway.   
  
Where he was going…he didn't know.   
  
He only knew that he had to get away.   
  
  
  
"Serena?" Raye asked softly.   
  
Serena was completely still, her eyes staring blankly at some   
spot on the sofa, her hands trembling by her sides. Raye let go of Chad,   
and went to put an arm around Serena. "Are you okay? What just happened   
between you two? Did he insult you again?"   
  
"No." Her voice was shaky, and so small Raye could barely hear it.   
"No. We just…we…"   
  
Raye glanced up at Chad. "Why don't you go out and buy me some ice   
cream?" she asked, her eyes telling him that she would like to be left   
alone with Serena.   
  
Chad understood. He sprinted out the door immediately.   
  
"Come on…let's sit down over there, and you'll tell me what   
happened." Whatever happiness she had felt before was now completely gone.   
Just by looking at Serena's face, she knew something major had happened.  
  
"We…I had a dream, you know, last night," Serena said quietly,   
"And, well--in a nutshell, I just found out that Darien had exactly the same   
dream last night, too."  
  
Raye nodded. "Okay. What was dream about?"   
  
Serena didn't answer. She suddenly looked around her. "Where's   
Darien gone?"   
  
"Oh, he said he was just 'going out', whatever that means," Raye   
replied, rolling her eyes.   
  
"No surprise he left," Serena said bitterly. She stood up, and   
started toward the stairs. "He had said that it was a NIGHTMARE for him."   
She reached her room and walked in, slamming the door behind her.   
  
Raye stared at Serena's bedroom door, having no idea what just   
happened in the house.   
  
**************  
  
  



	4. Try Me

Title: Try me - part 4  
Author: Henra  
Email: HenraM@tuxedomask.com  
Rated: PG  
  
…  
Ummm…ehhh…okay, so I took a long time.   
*clears throat*   
Hope you…like this chapter?  
  
Errr…oh yeah. Be ware of some really bad poetry in this chapter.   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. This is a work of fiction.   
  
**************  
  
"Where the hell is he?" Raye muttered, pacing around the living   
room.   
  
Chad, who was sitting on the sofa, shrugged. "Who knows? You   
know him."   
  
She stopped. "Yeah. I know him," she said softly. "Oooh!" She   
started to move again. "I wish I just know him even better--so I know   
where to find him right now, and talk some sense into him."   
  
"Why do you suppose he left?"   
  
Raye stared at Chad, confusion written all over her face. "God…  
I have no idea. I mean, Serena just briefly explained it to me…but I   
still don't get it. So they had the same dream. What is it that made him   
leave?"   
  
Chad stood up from the sofa and wrapped his arms around Raye.   
"You know Darien as well as I do that whenever something he has   
absolutely no preparation for happens, he walks away. Just like that.   
Do you even remember all those times when he walked out on those girls?"   
  
Raye sighed, and leaned against him. "Of course I do. But--right   
now, I only care about Serena. I mean, she's upstairs--and must be trying   
to figure out what exactly went wrong."   
  
"You know…maybe the dream…maybe the dream was something extreme."  
  
She pulled away and looked at him. "What do you mean?"   
  
"I don't know. But maybe the dream…maybe the whole reason for   
his leaving is because of what the dream was about."   
  
She slowly nodded, a new realization running in her mind. "I see   
what you mean. But--we don't know what really happened, so…"  
  
"Bet you can find out."   
  
She smiled at him. "Chad…I'm so glad you're here…"  
  
He smiled back, and planted a small kiss on her forehead. "Me,   
too. Now, come on--be a friend and go comfort Serena."   
  
Raye nodded, and started her way upstairs, hoping that her own   
cheerfulness would somehow rub off on her friend.   
  
  
  
Darien saw a large parking lot just some feet away. He flashed   
the right turn signal, and turned when no cars was coming for a few   
seconds. He parked on the first empty space he saw. He killed the engine,  
and sighed.   
  
Now what was he going to do?  
  
Go to one of the bushes and hide there?   
  
He shook his head, and slumped against his seat. God, Caseley,   
you are such a coward.  
  
He smiled bitterly. Oh yes, he was a coward. He was such a coward   
that he didn't even dare to come out and admit that the dream had gotten   
into him.  
  
What could he do now?  
  
He sighed again, and looked out the window. People walked by,   
living their own lives, and going back and forth like they knew exactly   
what they were doing, what was happening, why it was happening, and how   
come it happened.   
  
Unlike him.  
  
Dammit, why did he and Serena have the same dream? And why had   
it gotten under his skin?   
  
Suddenly, his stomach growled. His eyes traveled around the   
stores around the plaza. Papa Joe's. He didn't even realize that he was   
here.   
  
His stomach called again.  
  
He groaned, pulled out the key, and opened the door.  
  
He locked the doors and while putting the keys in his pocket,   
he walked toward the pizza place.   
  
  
  
Serena punched her pillow.  
  
She punched it again. And again. And again. All the while   
pretending that it was Darien's face.   
  
Then she decided it wasn't his face, it was hers. Hers for   
being so stupid. And then she decided that it wasn't anyone's face, that   
she was only using it as a punching bag to get rid of the anger and hurt   
she had inside.  
  
A tear slid down the side of her cheek.  
  
Damn you, Darien. Damn you, for running out like that. Damn   
you, for you just couldn't be all arrogant--nooo, you had to buy that   
milk, making me feel as if there was more to you. And DAMN you, Darien,   
for having to had the same dream.  
  
She punched the pillow again.   
  
This time she decided that it definitely was Darien's face.   
And she punched it again and again.   
  
God. This is not how I should react. If he knew I was acting   
like this…Ugh. I've got to get a grip. She wiped away the tear, and got   
up from her bed, smoothing her knee-length skirt.   
  
There was a knock on the door.   
  
She cleared her throat, and opened the door. "Raye!" she said,   
surprised.  
  
"Serena…hi." Raye smiled at her.   
  
"Hey. Um, come in." She led Raye over to the bed, and sat down.   
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"No! I, uh--just wanted to see if you were okay."   
  
She felt a tremble go through her. "What do you mean? I'm fine."   
  
"Oh, come on, Serena. You can tell me. I mean, I know that you   
and I are not exactly best friends, not like how you and Mina were, but   
I can be a good listener, too, you know, if I really wanted to. And I   
want to right now. Please, would you tell me what just happened?"   
  
Serena looked at Raye. She let a tear slide down her face. "Oh,   
Raye…"   
  
Raye leaned over and hugged her. "It's okay, tell me."   
  
She sighed, and cleared her throat a bit. "Darien and I had the   
same dream yesterday night. The dream was…I can't remember much from it,   
but I remember that in the dream, I had kissed this…dark haired guy…in   
front of a two-stories house. And I remember some words that we had   
exchanged, but that's not important. Anyway, after I woke up, I wasn't…  
very sure who the guy was…until I had mentioned it to Darien…and turned   
out…he had the dream, too. And so, you know…"  
  
"You're the girl, and he's the guy," Raye filled in.  
  
"Yeah. And after that, I mean, we just went to this…staring   
into each other's eyes thing, until, um, you and Chad came downstairs.   
Then, you saw it--Darien just suddenly snapped, and totally tensed. And   
then before I knew what happened, he was out the door. And we hadn't   
even gotten to talk about the dream. I mean," she laughed bitterly at   
this, "if there even is anything to talk ABOUT."   
  
Raye sighed. "So that was the dream."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Gosh, I'm sorry, Serena. Darien--he's just like that. When   
something that he doesn't have preparations for happens, he backs away.   
And I'm sure that this same dream thing was not within his preparations   
whatever. He doesn't like having anyone get too close. Not even me,   
believe me. I mean, he is just like that. That's how he is. You can't   
change it."   
  
"I know, but…Raye, I want to talk to him! I want to know how he   
feels about the dream. I mean, come on!" Serena stood up, and started to  
walk around. "We had the same dream on the same night, and we woke up at   
the same time, too, after the dream! I mean, don't you think that counts   
for something?"  
  
Raye nodded.   
  
"And…I just want to know…how he feels and stuff."  
  
There was silence for a few seconds.  
  
Then, "You really care about him, don't you?"  
  
That took Serena by surprise. She looked at Raye, a slightly   
shocked expression on her face. "What?"  
  
"Darien. You really care about Darien. I mean, you never show   
it…but…it's there, isn't it?"  
  
She looked at her friend. Then, she sighed and closed her eyes.   
"Yeah well, it's not supposed to be there."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
Serena laughed bitterly. "Look where it has gotten me! Nowhere.   
Just left me here, hurt and confused, and wondering if…if…anything's   
changed or not."  
  
"Believe me, something's changed. I saw Darien's face when he   
zoomed out the door."  
  
Serena looked at Raye, and smiled sadly. "So? What does it mean   
exactly? That's what I want to know. I mean, DID anything change? If it   
did, then WHAT changed? The way that we're going to treat each other? I   
don't know! And that's what's making me feel so…confused…" She sat down   
on the bed again, one hand pressed against her forehead.  
  
Raye stared at her friend, and sighed heavily. Then she shook   
her head, and anger began bubbling up inside her. "I can't believe that   
Darien could be so irresponsible, and uncaring. I mean, hello? I know he   
cares about you, yet he doesn't even have the courage to stay and talk   
things through. You know what, I am going out right now. To find him.   
And I am going to talk some sense into him."   
  
With that, before Serena could say anything, Raye left.  
  
Serena closed her eyes.   
  
She let out a sigh, and tried to clear her mind.   
  
Maybe Raye was going to find Darien, but who knew when? She had   
to know what made Darien leave like that. What had made him do it. She   
had to know how he was feeling…even if it was just a plain guess.   
  
Suddenly, an idea got into her head.  
  
It's risky…and it's very, very…alarming…but…  
  
She walked out to the hallway. Past Chad's room, and started   
down the stairs.   
  
No one was in the living room. So Chad went with Raye.  
  
Serena turned the knob on Darien's door. She exhaled slowly as   
she made her way in his room. She closed the door behind her.  
  
She looked around.   
  
Messy. What did she expect? Super clean?   
  
Like that would happen for ANY guy.   
  
She walked around slowly, eyeing everything carefully. She felt   
a bit guilty, since she knew that Darien would explode if he found out   
that she was in his room, supposedly searching for an answer as to why   
he had left. If she was actually going to find any. Then she pushed it   
away. She HAD to get some kind of clues. And she knew that there was no   
better way to get to know him than to look around his room.  
  
Her eyes wandered over the unmade bed, and suddenly landed on   
the desk. Borrowing the sunlight shined in from the window, she saw that   
his desk was full of dust. She rolled her eyes.  
  
She walked on over, and saw one of the drawers hanging open.   
  
She paused for a few seconds before she opened it fully.   
  
Inside was nothing but a blue spiral notebook. She was about to   
close the drawer again, but then hesitated, as something struck her.  
  
She pulled out the notebook. Biting her lip, she wondered what   
was inside.  
  
Perhaps it is a diary?  
  
She nearly laughed out loud. Right. Like a guy like Darien   
actually wrote ANYTHING.   
  
Then she frowned. But what if he did?   
  
I'll put it back as soon as I see that there's something   
private inside. With that thought in mind, Serena felt a little bit   
better. Besides, last time he read my private letter to Mina. We're   
even now. She opened the notebook, and her eyes immediately found the   
writings in black ink.   
  
She realized in shock that it was actually a phrase.  
  
In fact, a lot of phrases--one phrase per line.  
  
Then she knew that she was about to read a poem. A poem written   
by Darien Caseley.   
  
Her eyes scanned the lines.  
  
Without any explanation  
She walked in  
And changed everything  
  
Who is she?  
Why is she here?  
  
I want to know  
But yet I'm scared  
  
She represents something  
Carries something with her  
  
Maybe  
Just maybe  
One day we'll stop with the nonsense  
And I'll know her  
  
And love her.   
  
Serena breathed in deeply. Oh. My. God.   
  
She didn't even think of the possibility that the poem could be   
about her. She swallowed, and closed her eyes.   
  
When she opened them again, she reread the poem. And found, at   
the very last line on the page, a line of small writing: As of 7-21.  
  
Two weeks ago.  
  
Three weeks after she moved in.   
  
She decided to move on and see if there was anything more. She   
flipped the page.  
  
There was.  
  
She looked at it. She glanced at the clock.   
  
She hoped no one would be home any time soon. Especially not   
Darien. She went outside to the living room, and sat down on the sofa,   
placing a cushion behind her.  
  
She couldn't help but smile. Just a few minutes ago she had   
wanted him to come home so badly so they could talk, but now she didn't.   
She read the page.   
  
Nice  
Friendly  
Happy  
  
How she is with other people  
  
Cool  
Arrogant  
Derisive  
  
How she is with me  
  
Cheerful  
Warm  
Smiling  
  
How I wish she would be with me  
  
Truth is…  
  
Will she ever?  
  
Serena blinked.   
  
No way. It was beginning to sound like…  
  
"Cool. Arrogant. Derisive." She didn't want to admit it, but it   
did sound like how she usually acted around Darien.  
  
She looked at the other page. She flipped it again, and there   
was blank.   
  
She turned back and read the third and last poem in the book   
more carefully.   
  
A kiss in a dream  
Does it mean anything?  
  
I feel   
As if I did something wrong  
  
Confused  
Utterly confused as I am  
  
She's still the same  
Maybe--  
  
Serena frowned. The poem wasn't finished. There was a word   
after "Maybe", but it was crossed out. She lifted it up, trying to see   
through it, but couldn't make out anything. She sighed.  
  
A kiss in a dream.  
  
She knew for sure that he was talking about the dream--the same   
dream that they both had yesterday night. Wow. He had just written in   
this notebook this morning.  
  
She breathed in and out. If only he finished writing it…then   
she could get what she went into his room looking for…  
  
She got up and started walking back to his room.   
  
She opened the drawer, and placed the notebook gently inside.   
She stared at the cover for a very long time. She smiled softly.   
  
So she still didn't know what made him bolt out like that. Of   
course, she could go back to his room again…but she felt as if she   
already did enough to invade his privacy. Still…she discovered something   
today.   
  
Darien Caseley actually wrote. In one way, it was surprising.   
In another…it was very shocking. She shook her head, sighing. She   
wondered if she would ever get to know him…the real him. She recalled   
Raye's words.  
  
She wondered if Darien would ever let her get close.  
  
Suddenly, a noise startled her.  
  
She realized in shock that the front door lock was being moved.  
  
Oh my god. She quickly shut the drawer, and raced out of the   
Darien's room. She practically jumped on the sofa, and grabbed one of   
the magazines on the coffee table.   
  
The door opened almost as soon as she opened the pages of the  
magazine.   
  
Darien walked in.   
  
She looked up, and they made eye contact.   
  
Instantly, she remembered her anger. She threw the magazine on   
the sofa with more energy than needed, got up, and started walking   
toward the stairs.  
  
"Serena."  
  
She stopped.   
  
"We need to talk."  
  
She hated the way his voice sounded.   
  
All calm and serious, as if closing a business deal.   
  
She turned around, a scowl on her face. "Oh, you think?"  
  
Truth was, she was too busy thinking about being angry she   
forgot that she originally HAD wanted to talk to him.   
  
"Yeah." He motioned to the sofa. "Sit down."  
  
She walked back. She sat down on one end, and he sat down on   
the other end.   
  
"Where's, um, Raye and Chad?"  
  
"They went out. To look for you, actually."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So? What you want to talk about?"  
  
"I--" He sighed, running a hand through his hair.  
  
She realized that this was actually hard and uncomfortable for   
him. She got rid of the scowl on her face.  
  
"Listen, Serena. I--just, I mean, this dream…I…" He looked at   
her, his eyes a swirl of determination…? Confusion? "Oh, hell, just tell   
me what you thought about the dream."   
  
She stared at him. "What I…thought?" Wasn't that what HE was   
supposed to answer?  
  
He sighed. "Yeah."  
  
She shook her head, and scoffed. "Look, why don't YOU first   
explain why the hell you just walked out like that. And then maybe I'll   
answer your question."  
  
"Serena…" His voice sounded tired.  
  
"Don't 'Serena' me. Tell me! Why?!" She glared at him, crossing   
her arms in front of her.   
  
"I DON'T KNOW!!"  
  
She pulled back at the sudden anger he expressed. Her eyes were   
wide, and her pulse was beginning to race.  
  
"I don't know," he said again, more quietly. His eyes were   
concentrated on the floor. "I just knew that I had to get away…and I   
didn't know why."  
  
She sat down on the sofa. She put her head in her hands, and   
began to rock back and forth.  
  
He stayed standing. "Listen, Serena. The dream--it…did it mean   
anything to you?"  
  
She felt her heart thumping against her chest. "Did it mean   
anything to YOU?" She asked back, her voice quiet.  
  
"I…I don't know. I mean, I…have this weird feeling…but I don't   
know exactly, how I feel. Or maybe it's just nothing…" He said, pulling   
back.  
  
"Per…haps." She didn't want to admit anything. "So, did   
anything change?"   
  
There was silence for a while.   
  
Darien sighed. I hate this. I hate all confrontations…why did   
I decide to come back so soon? Why oh why? He took a deep breath.   
"Serena...so the dream really didn't mean anything, okay? I mean,   
if you're mad that we had the same dream, and think that something's   
supposed to be different now, don't worry, 'cause nothing's different.   
I mean, we're still the same…I mean, we can stay the same, and pretend   
that nothing happened."   
  
She slowly raised her head, and looked at him. The words he   
just spoke made their way into her head slowly, and she felt herself go  
numb. So she was right. It didn't mean anything to him. It was just a   
kiss in a dream. Didn't represent anything in reality.   
  
A nightmare…  
  
She looked at the floor unblinkingly, and said in a voice   
devoid of any emotion, "I guess you're right."   
  
He looked at her, his eyes full of doubt. "I am?" he asked in a   
voice above a whisper.  
  
She locked eyes with him. "Uh-huh."  
  
He nodded, slowly, as if confirming everything in his head once   
more. "So what happens now?"  
  
"Now we go back to our own lives…" she replied, swallowing a   
lump in her throat, "go live everyday the same that we did before."  
  
"Right." His voice was flat.  
  
Suddenly, unexpectedly, she felt tears gathering in her eyes.   
"Excuse me." She stood up, and went up the stairs before he could see   
them.  
  
In her room, Serena leaned against the closed door. She took   
heavy breaths, but tears still rolled down her face uncontrollably. She   
gradually slid against the door until she had sat down on the floor.  
  
Look. Look what's happened. You got your hopes up. She sighed   
heavily, and wiped away some tears with the back of her hand. She closed   
her eyes, biting her lip. I can't believe that I let this happen to   
myself. What have I done? Then, she shook her head, and got up from the   
floor. No, no, no. I cannot act like this. We're going to live our lives   
the way that we had lived it before. What's so different about that? What   
did I expect to happen anyways?   
  
She walked to the mirror, and stared at her reflection.   
  
Waited that long for the chance to talk to him…and she had   
gotten nothing from it. In fact, she might have just lost something.   
  
She felt tears gathering in her eyes.  
  
I need to get away. She suddenly realized. Her eyes widened,   
and she thought of it once more. I do. I need to get away. She looked   
at a small calendar on her desk. Only three weeks before the fall   
semester begins. I have time.   
  
She walked over to her bed, and sat down, thinking about her   
new idea carefully. "Where could I go?" she asked herself. "Amy!" She   
straightened up, and a small smile formed on her face. "I haven't seen   
her in months. Not since last Christmas."   
  
She got up, and opened her closet, locating her blue duffel bag.   
She pulled it out, and placed it against one side of the bed.   
  
She looked at it…rather sadly.   
  
  
  
Darien paced around in the living room.   
  
What the hell had just happened?   
  
He HAD wanted to come home, HAD wanted to talk to Serena, HAD   
wanted to straighten everything out…but what HAD happened instead?  
  
Nothing.  
  
Except Serena and he decided that things would go back to   
normal.  
  
Which WAS nothing.  
  
He sighed, and ran a hand through his tousled hair. He sat down   
on the sofa, and leaned against it, along with another sigh.  
  
The front door opened.  
  
He opened his eyes. Raye and Chad.  
  
"Oh hey, Darien! You're back!" Chad exclaimed, kicking off his   
shoes.  
  
Darien saw Raye follow Chad's gaze. Uh-oh.  
  
"Darien!! Where the HELL did you go? Do you even KNOW how Serena   
was feeling after you just left like that, without so much as telling   
CRAP where you were going?" Raye marched over to him, and glared at him.  
  
He stood up. He towered over his cousin for over half a feet,   
buthe felt as if he were only two inches tall. "Listen, Raye, I--"  
  
"You were always a jerk, I admit it. Always so cold, and so   
arrogant, but NOW I'VE HAD IT! I used to hold it in, used to let you get   
away, but now, after what happened, YOU ARE GOING DOWN! I can't take this   
anymore! You can't be a ghost-stay whenever you want, go whenever you want,   
you just CAN'T anymore! You--"  
  
"Yes, I can!!" Darien suddenly yelled back. He had enough of   
Raye's yelling. "It's my own life that I'm living, okay? You, or anyone   
else, can't control it! You can't tell me what to do! And you sure as   
hell cannot tell me when I should stay in this house, and when I should   
leave! I can stay or leave WHENEVER I WANT!"  
  
"Do you even CARE that I care about you? That, every time when   
you leave without a word, I would wonder where you are? Do you even know   
that? Huh?? You know what, honestly, I really DON'T care if you're cold   
with me, because that's how you are. But I won't stand it if you do that   
to a vulnerable Serena! And you should SEE how vulnerable she is right   
now!"   
  
"Raye, you're not making sense!" Chad suddenly told her, grabbing   
her arm.   
  
"Let go of me! I need to talk to him, whether I make sense or   
NOT!" She swung away her arm, and faced Darien once again.   
  
He stepped away. "You can talk all you want, Raye, but I'm not   
listening. I'm going to my room if you need me." He started to walk away.  
  
That froze Raye cold. That move had irated her, and she stomped   
her foot. "I need you right now! To crack some sense into that   
knucklehead of yours!"   
  
But Darien was already in his room, and had closed the door.  
  
Inside, he sat down on his bed, and put his head in his hands.   
Damn this. Damn her. Damn every damned people in this world who are   
driving me crazy!   
  
He sighed. This isn't helping me. Not helping me at all.   
  
He looked up at the ceiling. He wondered what was Serena doing   
up there in her room. There were only a few weeks until the fall semester   
started, and he guessed that she was getting ready.  
  
He got up. He should, too. Maybe go buy a new backpack. The old   
one was too old, he was afraid the straps would break if he put anything   
too heavy. He looked at the big calendar plastered on his wall. Raye had   
taped it there. Said something about wanting him to keep up with everyone  
else's life. Whatever that meant.  
  
He changed shirts, and stuffed his wallet down his jeans.   
Turning the doorknob with his right hand, his left hand reached for the   
blue cap that was sitting on the second section of the small shelf by   
the door.   
  
He walked outside carefully. Raye and Chad weren't there.  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief. He walked through the so-called   
family room, and opened the door to the garage. He got out his car keys,   
and unlocked the car.   
  
Seemed like all he did lately was heading out.  
  
  
  
One ring, two ring, three ring…and someone picked up.  
  
"Hey, is this Amy?" Serena asked, smiling already.   
  
"Oh my GOD, Serena, is that you???"   
  
She smiled, and fell down on her bed, handling the phone with   
her right hand. "Yes, Amy, it's me. Surprise!"  
  
Amy Maitlin, who had been one of her close friends at the   
beginning of freshman year, but had moved away after one semester ended,   
laughed on the other end. "So what's up with you?"  
  
"Well…a lot. But I'll tell you later…face-to-face," she replied,   
fiddling with the bed comforter.  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
Then Amy asked quietly, "So you're saying you're coming over   
here, or are you asking me to go over there?"  
  
Serena sighed. "Me go over to your place."  
  
"Oh my gosh!!" Amy exclaimed. "When, when, when? I mean, you   
can? I mean, you actually want to? It's right in the middle of summer,   
right here might be hotter than where you are…but you'll get used to   
it--"  
  
"Amy, Amy!" Serena couldn't help but laugh. "I'm coming   
tomorrow."   
  
There was silence again.   
  
Then, "OH MY GOSH!!"  
  
Serena laughed and then sighed deeply. So it was set. She   
looked out her window. She was going to spend the rest of her summer   
with Amy. In another city.   
  
  
  
"Morning," Raye said as she walked in the kitchen.  
  
Chad, who was sitting on a stool around the middle counter,   
looked up and smiled. "Morning."   
  
She walked over and they shared a kiss. She walked over to the   
fridge, and opened it, scanning the items inside. "Where's Serena and   
Darien?"  
  
"Darien went out again, to get supplies. And I think Serena's   
still up in her room, sleeping," he replied, turning back to eating his   
cereals.  
  
"Again? What's going on with him this year? He never wanted to   
go out to buy supplies unless he really, desperately needed it. And even   
if he did, he never went out more than once. But now twice, already? What   
could he buy now? I already saw new backpack, pens, notebook…yaddy yaddy   
yadda, what else could he buy?" She closed the fridge. "There's nothing   
to eat."  
  
"Look in the cabinets. Anyways, who cares, as long as he does   
get his supplies, right?"  
  
"Right." She got out a nutrition bar from the cabinet. "Oh! Where  
did this come from? I don't remember buying any bars, is it yours?"  
  
"It's mine, but you can eat it," a new voice said.  
  
"Morning, Serena," Raye and Chad both greeted at once.  
  
Serena, wearing a black tank-top and a pair of khaki capris,   
smiled as she sat down on a stool beside Chad. "Get me one, too."  
  
"Here ya go." Raye tossed a bar to her.  
  
"Thanks." She unwrapped the wrapper, and began to eat. "So, um,   
guys, I'll be spending whatever's left of summer at one of my close   
friends' house, okay?"  
  
Raye and Chad looked at her.   
  
"Really?" Chad asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his   
hand.  
  
"Yeah. It's Amy," she looked at Raye, "you remember her?"  
  
"Uh-huh, I think. That girl with the blue highlights hair,   
right?" Raye leaned on the counter across from her. "Why the sudden urge  
to leave? I mean, there's only a few more weeks."  
  
"I know. But, you know, I feel like going somewhere. I WANT to   
go to London," she smiled sadly, "to visit Mina, but I can't. So I guess   
I'll take the next best choice."   
  
Raye nodded. "Did you tell Darien yet?"  
  
Serena gave her a look. "What does Darien have to do with   
anything? He doesn't need to know."  
  
"You told us."  
  
"Well, I was hoping that you guys could pass the words to him,"   
she said, taking another bite of her bar.  
  
Raye and Chad shared a look.   
  
"What?" She stopped chewing.  
  
Raye sighed, and shook her head. "Can't do it this time. He's  
mad at me, and besides, I'm mad at him, too. I don't want to talk to   
him that soon."  
  
Serena glanced at Chad, and raised her eyebrow.  
  
"Just tell him yourself, what's the big deal?" Chad offered,   
finishing his cereals with one last gulp, and got up from the stool.  
  
She looked down at her bar, and thought about it. "Forget it.   
It's not like he WANTS or NEEDS to know. He'll just know about it after   
I'm gone--that is, if he even notice."  
  
The bitter way that she had spoken the last sentence did not go   
unnoticed by Raye and Chad. They just ignored it.   
  
  
  
"A duffel bag and a knapsack. That all you're bringing?"   
Raye asked, sticking her head in Serena's room.  
  
Serena looked up and shrugged. "I don't need that much. Only a   
few more weeks, that's all. Besides, this duffel bag is sort of big."  
  
"When you leaving?"   
  
She zipped the duffel bag and smiled at her friend. "Today."  
  
Raye's eyes widened. "What? TODAY?"  
  
"Yeah. I bought the train ticket just yesterday night." She   
took it out of her pocket and waved it around in Raye's face.  
  
Raye grabbed it. "Serena! You could've told us at LEAST two   
days early!"  
  
She shrugged, and took the ticket back. "What's the point?"  
  
"I don't know. But at least it would make me feel that I'm   
actually worth telling to."  
  
Serena stared at her friend. "Raye…"  
  
"I'm serious, Serena." Raye stared back at her.  
  
She sighed. "Look, so much has happened in the last…few days.   
And I really feel like…taking a break."  
  
"By break, you mean taking a break from Darien, from this house…  
but not from me, right?"   
  
She smiled and went over to give Raye a hug. "Yes."  
  
Raye hugged her back.  
  
"Now, come on, help me get this to my car--Oh no…" Serena   
groaned, and stomped her foot. "Damn! How come I didn't think of my   
car? I'm taking the train, and if I drive my car there, where will I   
leave it at?"  
  
"Hey, wish I have a license," Raye replied. "Maybe you can   
return the ticket?"  
  
"I can't now. The train leaves this afternoon. Besides, I DO   
feel like taking the train…but how will I…"  
  
"Maybe you can tell Darien to drive you there."   
  
"What about Chad?" Serena asked, ignoring what Raye had just   
said, "He can drive me there, drive my car back here, and just leave   
it in the garage until I come back."  
  
Raye shook her head apologetically. "His license got taken by   
the police last month."  
  
"What?!" Serena exclaimed. "How? How come no one told me?"   
  
"Do you really think that Chad would voluntarily offer to tell   
you something like this?"   
  
Serena sighed again. "So now what am I supposed to do?"  
  
"Like I said, tell Darien to drive you."   
  
"And where is Darien?"  
  
"Out somewhere right now, but he'll come back. I can call him   
on his cell."  
  
"He has a cell?" Serena was aghast.  
  
Raye grinned at the expression on her friend's face. "Yeah,   
only he hardly ever use it. Since, uh, his dad gave it to him."  
  
Serena frowned. "So what if his dad gave it to him?"  
  
Raye grimaced, and shook her head. "Long story. I'll tell you   
sometime when we have time."  
  
"Okay, so he has a cell. But, Raye…really, I don't want Darien   
to be the last person I see before I go. Actually, I don't want to see   
Darien at all. Maybe you have some other friends…?"  
  
"They're all either somewhere at vacation with family, or   
they're not gonna be able to help because they have a life--unlike me."  
  
Serena rolled her eyes. "Isn't Chad your life?"  
  
Raye hit her gently on the arm. "Hey, we're not that serious,   
okay?"   
  
"You're becoming to be that serious," she replied sweetly,   
batting her eyelashes at Raye. She laughed.  
  
"Okay, seriously. Let me just call some friends that are   
actually in the city for the summer and see if they can help." Raye   
left the room with a smile.  
  
"Thanks! And hurry!" Serena called after her. She sat down on   
her bed with a heavy sigh.   
  
  
  
Darien walked around in the store aimlessly. He looked at one   
thing and after he realized he didn't need it, he put it down, and   
started to look at something else. Same thing happened again and again   
until he finally realized that he was done with shopping. And this time   
it was without Raye nagging at his ears.   
  
He sighed and leaned against a wall. He didn't want to go home.   
Didn't want to see Serena. Didn't want to be reminded, AGAIN, that he   
was a coward.   
  
Then he shook his head. What the hell was he doing?   
  
He had never ever NOT do anything because of a girl. But now,   
because of Serena, he didn't even feel like going home. His own home,   
for goodness sake, where Serena was PAYING to be lived.   
  
Darien straightened up, and headed for the door.   
  
Paying to be lived…paying to be lived…maybe I could have her   
move out of the house…   
  
He stopped so suddenly that someone crashed into him. The woman   
gave him a dirty look, and walked around. He sighed. Man, what was I   
thinking? Have her out of the house? For what? Just because we had the   
same dream? Because that I found out that I am actually attracted to   
her? That I actually wrote poems-for the first time--about her?   
  
He closed his eyes.   
  
Nope, those aren't it. No, because, for the first time in my   
life, I actually care about a girl so deeply…so weirdly…so… "For god's   
sake, I can't even stand that she acted careless about the fact   
that we were going to stay the way we were."   
  
He frowned. This wasn't good. He was talking to himself. He   
wasn't in control. He wasn't in control of his mind, his mouth, his words…  
He needed to get control. He needed to be in control if he was going to   
have a relationship, if it was even possible--with Serena.  
  
But THAT wasn't possible, either. He knew it--because Serena   
wanted control, too.   
  
He smiled. First time he met a girl like that. First time he   
met a girl who made him lose his cool, made his lose his control. Made   
him acted like a coward, bolting out of the "dream-confrontation" scene.  
And made him do what he was doing now, standing in the middle of a store,   
not even wanting to go back to his own house…because he didn't want to   
see her.  
  
How did this happen? Man, if I were only there on that day when   
Raye and Chad interviewed Serena…if I were only there…I could've   
prevented all of this. I could've, like I always did, picked out   
something that I didn't like about her, and convince Raye and Chad… But…  
the reason I wasn't there that day WAS because I DIDN'T want to do that   
again. I DIDN'T want to pick out another mistake…I WANTED Raye and Chad   
to interview someone and maybe even like that person, and…   
  
He grunted. Maybe it had something to do with fate.   
  
Right.   
  
That was crap.  
  
Darien ran a hand through his hair, and walked some steps more   
until the automatic doors opened and he walked out.   
  
Walking to his car, he realized that he had just wasted two   
hours in a store he rarely came to, and he bought nothing. Absolutely   
nothing.   
  
Add that to the list of things the appearance of Serena has   
made me do. He thought as he climbed into his car.   
  
  
  
"I got it!" Raye exclaimed, practically running into Serena's   
room.  
  
Serena closed her drawer. "You did?"  
  
"Yeah, her name is Mye, and she lives just a few blocks away.   
She used to be in one of my classes. She can come anytime to get you to   
the train station," Raye told her, eyes dancing.  
  
"Oh thank you!" Serena grinned. "Call her and ask if it is okay   
for her to come now, so I can put my luggage in the car…and maybe treat   
her to lunch or something."  
  
Raye laughed. "It's just a car drive down to the train station."  
  
"True. Well, maybe just let her stay here and you guys can catch   
up or something."  
  
"Why you need to put the luggage in right now?"  
  
"I don't know. But it's best to prepare before time. So that   
when the time comes for me to leave, I can just jump in the car and not   
worry about whether I had left this, or that, or whatever."  
  
"Cool. Okay, I'll call her. I want to talk to her, actually,   
though, about this guy that I've seen her with on campus…" Raye trailed   
off as she picked up the phone.   
  
  
"Hi Mye, my name is Serena. Thank you for, you know, driving me  
to the train station later on," Serena said, smiling at the red haired   
girl in front of her.  
  
Mye Evans smiled back. "Oh, don't worry. Me and Raye used to be   
good friends. I love to lend a hand when I could."  
  
"How about I leave you and Raye to your catching ups? And if   
you're hungry, we can go out for lunch, my treat. The train leaves at   
3:35, so we probably should go around 3 o'clock."  
  
"Yeah, sounds like you have it all planned out." Mye grinned.   
"Wanna put the luggage in my car first?"  
  
Serena was amazed. "Um, uh…sure. It's just a duffel bag and a   
knapsack. Not much."   
  
"Want me to help you?"  
  
"No, it's okay, thanks anyway."  
  
"Here's the keys." Mye fished out the keys from her purse and   
gave it to Serena. "The one with the blue coating. My car's a red   
little convertible. I love it to death." She winked at Serena.  
  
"Thanks," Serena said again, and walked to the door.  
  
Raye smiled at her, and then turned to Mye. "So…tell me   
about this new guy I've seen you with…"  
  
Mye rolled her eyes, but grinned. "Oh, man…"  
  
Serena took her duffel bag in one arm, and the knapsack in the   
other. She walked out the front door to the street, and saw the red   
convertible parked by the other side of the street. She walked across,   
and opened the trunk with the key.   
  
She put in the duffel bag first, shoving it to the side, and   
then put in her knapsack. She closed off the trunk with a push, and   
turned around. She gave a start.  
  
Darien was right behind her, staring at the closed trunk of   
the convertible.  
  
"What is this?"   
  
**************  
  
Ummm…heh! I finished this part! It took me a long time…and I've had my   
so-called "writer's block"…but it's gone!  
  
Be sure to email me with comments!  
Visit my website at: http://www6.ewebcity.com/moonieround  
  
  
  



	5. Try Me

Try me - Part 5  
By Henra  
HenraM@tuxedomask.com  
PG rated  
  
Hiyee! Me again…this time with part 5! Please, please, everyone,   
email me with your comments! They're really important to me! And I want   
to thank everyone who emailed me on the last part of the story. I   
greatly appreciated every single one of them.   
  
Sailor Moon does not belong to me.  
  
  
**************  
  
  
What was she supposed to say at this moment?   
  
Serena took a look into his eyes, and suddenly stiffened. "Why   
does this concern you?"   
  
"It matters a lot. More than you think." His voice was hard, but   
she could hear the slight crack. She couldn't find her voice for a moment   
to reply.  
  
"Well? Aren't you going to tell me what you're doing?"   
  
She started to walk back to the house. He followed her close  
behind. "I'm putting away luggage. What do you think I'm doing?"   
  
"Luggage? For what?" He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
Somehow, it made her stop also. She sighed, and turned around.   
"I'm going away. I'm going to stay at a friend of mine for the rest of   
this crappy summer."   
  
He was silent for a moment. "Does any of this crappy summer   
have to do with me?"  
  
She forced a dry laugh. "What? Why you? Why do you always   
think that you're so important? Sometimes, Darien, not everything is   
about you." She picked up her feet again.  
  
"Then why are you going away?"   
  
She stopped. She didn't turn around. "I don't have to answer   
that, you know."   
  
"It did mean something to you, didn't it?"   
  
She looked at the ground, and felt as he walked up behind her.   
"What did?"   
  
"The dream."   
  
Two words, and they shot through her heart like two hard   
bullets. She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I really have no idea   
what you're talking about."   
  
"Come on, Serena, the dream--it, it DID mean something to you…  
something greater than you want to admit, and that's why you lied,   
isn't it?" There was something in his voice…as if he really wanted her   
to admit that.  
  
"Lied?"   
She whirled around, suddenly angry, "What the hell do you mean by that?   
I didn't lie, dammit."  
  
A smile slowly spread across his face.   
  
Serena swallowed, and tried to stay angry. "What are you   
smiling for now?"  
  
"You are lying. You were lying before, and you're lying now.  
Come on, Serena, just admit it," he told her softly, his eyes boring   
into hers.  
  
She felt a tremble go through her. "Listen, Darien, I have a   
train ticket for a train ride at 3:35 this afternoon, and right now, I   
am going back to the house to get something to eat, to finish whatever   
there is left to do, and then I'm going to leave." She walked up to the   
front porch, and stepped inside, slamming the door after her.   
  
  
Darien stood outside still, and stared at the door.   
  
He couldn't believe his ears.   
  
She was going away? Right now, right this day, when everything   
wasn't sorted out yet?   
  
He sighed and shook his head. There was still something   
hangingbetween them. Even though the talk they had the other day left   
things pretty obvious, he still felt that there was some business left   
unfinished between he and Serena. And he had thought that no one would   
go anywhere until it was finished.   
  
He thought. He didn't   
understand why Serena would want to leave when things between them were   
just so messy. So unrealistic.   
  
He looked at his own car, still warm, since   
he came back not a few minutes ago. He felt the urge to go out again.  
  
But he knew he should be inside, getting a better understanding   
of all of this.   
  
He sighed, and muttered a curse. He was afraid to find out the   
real truth why Serena was going away.   
  
He stood in front of the door, and looked at the knob. He turned   
it and walked inside.   
  
Raye and a girl he didn't recognize were sitting on the sofa,   
talking animatedly with one another. Darien managed a small smile at them   
when they saw him, and looked around for Serena.   
  
"Uh…Serena's upstairs. In a bit of a bad mood when I saw her…do   
you know what's wrong?" Raye asked, widening her eyes on purpose for   
effect.   
  
Darien shot her a glare, and started upstairs. His heart was   
drumming in his chest, and his hand left a sweaty mark on the handrail   
each time he put his hand on it to support himself. Serena's door was   
closed, and suddenly, while looking at it, he wasn't so sure of himself.   
  
Slowly, he came to stand in front of the door. Funny, lately it   
seemed like all he did was standing in front of doors and looking at   
doorknobs. He breathed deeply. Just as his knuckles were about to hit the   
door, it swung open.   
  
Serena came into view, and immediately, she gave a big gasp and   
stepped back.   
  
A hand came over her chest, and she put the other hand on the   
opened door to support her leaning body. "My god, Darien, you scared me   
to hell! What were you doing, just standing there!?"   
  
"Oh." He stuck his hands in his pant pockets. "Sorry about   
that."  
  
After a few seconds, Serena's breathing became slower, and she   
fixed her eyes on him steadily, and suddenly frowned, as if suddenly   
remembered that he was at her door. "Um…is there…anything you want?"   
  
"I…" His mouth suddenly felt dry, and his hands sweaty. He   
rubbed them down the sides of his pants, but new sweats soon came out   
after that. What was wrong with him? He never was this nervous with   
girls--with ANY girl.  
  
She looked at him, and he could just see a bit of impatience   
in her eyes. "Well?"  
  
"Don't go," he blurted out. Immediately, he felt like kicking   
himself. When was the last time that he had no control over his own   
words?   
  
Disbelief came over her features, then suddenly, sadness.   
"Don't say this right now, Darien, I beg of you. I'm going to go--I   
NEED to go. Please." Her eyes were lowered.  
  
Undoubtedly, he was surprised. He thought she would reply   
with something similar to what she had said a few minutes ago outside.   
But what she had just said was nowhere near that. "Serena…you need to   
stay. We have to get this, this…thing that's between us over with.   
I don't like it lingering even a day longer."  
  
Her face hardened. "There's nothing between us, Darien."  
  
"Oh no? Then why are you leaving, and in such a rush, too?"   
  
"I want to take a vacation! People do take vacations in   
summertime, you know!"  
  
"But the fall semester's about to start!"  
  
"Not for another three weeks!"   
  
She looked at him, and sighed. She walked back into her room   
and sat down on the bed heavily. "So what do you want me to do, Darien?   
Just tell me, what the hell do you want me to do?!"   
  
His mouth was hanging slightly open. Was that what she felt   
like? Why was she asking questions like this? He had no idea what to   
say.   
  
Suddenly another thought entered his mind. Perhaps Serena   
did need to get away. He didn't know why he was thinking that abruptly,   
but maybe Serena did need a vacation. Maybe he didn't know her as well   
as he thought he did.   
  
"Okay, Serena, I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry, if I really crossed   
the line or something. I don't want to make you not take the break you   
want just because of something that…I want. Go. I won't say anything."   
  
Her eyes widened.  
  
"But, before you go, I really want to know…I mean, I can't   
stand being in suspense, and--god." He sighed, and ran a hand through   
his hair. "Just tell me. Why ARE you going away?"  
  
From the look in her eyes, he knew he was not going to get a   
straight answer. But he could tell that he was going to GET an answer,   
and he was willing to take any kind at this minute. He looked into her   
eyes, not daring to glance anywhere else.   
  
"Fine. I'll tell you." Her eyes became sort of glassy. "It is   
because of the dream, like you said. But that's not all. It's only…a   
part of the--many reasons. And…" She bit her lip, casting her gaze to   
the floor.  
  
"And?"   
  
"And they all are connected to you." She let out a sigh.   
"There, you happy now? You got an answer. Now, can I go?"   
  
He couldn't suppress a small grin. "Didn't I just say that I   
won't say anything to stop you from taking the vacation that you want?"  
  
She flushed. "Yeah." She started to go out of her room.   
  
He gently grabbed her wrist when she passed by him. He let go   
immediately after she stopped and turned around to face him.   
  
"What now?"   
  
He smiled. He looked down at her, and felt his heart skipping a  
beat at how beautiful she looked at the moment. There wasn't any   
accusation on her face, wasn't any resentment…her eyes were questioning,   
and he couldn't see any annoyance in them. And that, to him, was rare.   
  
"I wanted to know another thing."   
  
"Uh-huh, I can see that."   
  
His lips stretched into a lopsided grin. "When you said it has   
something to do with the dream…it's only the kiss in the dream that   
you're talking about, isn't it?"  
  
She was silent for a moment. Then she sighed. "I think we   
both know the answer to that. You had the same dream. Was waiting on   
the porch by yourself interesting to you?"   
  
Ah. Even in the last minute she had to be smart.   
  
He grinned. "All right, all right…I guess that was a stupid   
question." He paused for a minute, the grin on his face gone. He looked  
at her seriously, and for a moment, wasn't sure how to say goodbye.   
  
"Well, I have to go now."  
  
He racked his brain for the correct words to say. "Uh…I guess   
I'll see you when you get back. I mean, of course…" he said softly,   
tentatively, "you are coming back, right?"   
  
She smiled, and nodded her head. "Yes. Hey, I did pay this   
whole month's rent, you know."   
  
"Right. Bye, Serena. For now." He flashed another glance at   
her, then walked to the stairs and went down to the first floor.  
  
Serena stood there, staring after him. Then, a soft smile   
crossed her features, and she sighed.   
  
  
  
  
"Bye, Serena, I'm going to miss having you around," Raye said,   
hugging Serena tightly.  
  
Serena hugged Raye back. "Raye…?"   
  
Raye let go and looked at her with a smile on her face. "Yeah?"   
  
Serena bit her lip. "Um…never mind."  
  
"Okay…" Raye gave her a curious smile.  
  
Serena grinned, and couldn't help but add, "Take care of Chad,   
all right?" She winked at Raye.  
  
Raye blushed.  
  
"Chad? What's this about Chad?" Mye, who had just come back   
from the bathroom, asked.   
  
Raye groaned. "Serena!"   
  
Mye grinned and took the hint. "All right, all right, almost   
time to go. I'll let you go this time, Raye." She flashed a smile at   
Serena. "Come on, Serena."   
  
Serena looked at Raye, and hugged her again. "Thank you so   
much. I'll see you when I come back, okay? And say goodbye to Chad for   
me."   
  
"Sure."   
  
Serena lingered in the living room, looking at Darien's closed   
door. She bit her lip, wondering whether or not she should go knock   
and say bye to him.   
  
Raye noticed the expression on Serena's face. She smiled and yelled, "Darien! Come out and say   
bye to Serena! She's leaving!"  
  
Serena glanced at her friend, and flashed her a grateful   
smile.  
  
Darien's door swung open, and he stepped out. His eyes   
immediately found Serena's, and he leaned against a side of the   
doorframe while he flashed her a lazy grin. "See you in a few weeks."   
  
Serena's heart pounded against her chest. She really was going   
to miss him…miss all the little arguments that they always had… "Bye,   
Darien." She looked at Mye, who was looking back and forth between her   
and Darien with a curious expression on her face. "Ready?"   
  
"I was ready a long time ago. Come on." Mye smiled and went   
out the front door.   
  
Serena followed suit, forcing herself not to look back.   
  
  
  
  
"Amy!!" Serena opened her arms wide.  
  
A huge grin spread across Amy's face as she threw her arms   
around Serena and hugged her back. "Oh my god, I cannot believe you  
are actually here! I thought I would never see you again!"   
  
Serena walked in Amy's apartment and dropped her luggage   
against the wall. She glanced around and smiled at Amy. "Wow…so neat.   
I see some things have changed since the last time I had been here."   
She narrowed her eyes and suddenly realized something. "The pictures!   
The pictures of you and Greg! They are all gone!"  
  
Amy stayed silent, and watched Serena as she walked around.  
  
"And the books…the computer…Amy! What…?!" Then, she gasped, a   
thought entering her mind. "You got rid of everything that have some   
kind of a connection to Greg…" she stared at Amy, waiting for a reply.  
  
Amy sighed, and forced a smile. "You noticed. You always   
notice everything." She walked over to the couch in the middle of the   
room and sat down.   
  
Serena came to sit next to Amy. She put an arm around her.   
"All right, you have to tell me everything now. Right from the   
beginning."   
  
Tears filled Amy's dark blue eyes. She sniffled and sighed   
deeply. "Oh Serena…we broke up because…well, because we are too alike."   
  
"What? I don't get it. I mean, I WANT someone who's a bit   
more like me, honestly." She rolled her eyes. "But lately, I can't   
seem to find anyone that even has ANY similarities with me." Darien's   
face suddenly popped up in Serena's mind, and she quickly forced it   
gone.   
  
"It's like…we wanted to do everything the same that it was   
getting boring, you know? I mean, when Greg and me first met, I   
thought it was so amazing how much we had in common, and Greg thought   
the same thing. But…as time went on…there wasn't really anything to   
talk about anymore, I mean--I actually wanted us to fight once in a   
while! We are too alike even for that…can you believe it?" Amy looked   
at Serena with incredulous eyes.   
  
"Trust me, when you guys start to argue all the time, it won't   
be fun, either." Darien's name once again popped up in Serena's mind,   
and this time, she shoved it away with a bit of annoyance.   
  
Amy smiled sadly. "Well, that didn't happen, and that's not  
going to happen anytime soon." She forced a brighter smile on her face,  
and stood up. "Come on, I'll show you to your room."  
  
"You know, you should get a smaller apartment. I never   
understood why you rented a two bedroom one," Serena said thoughtfully   
as she followed Amy.  
  
Amy opened a closed door and stepped in the room. "There you   
go." She flashed Serena a genuine smile.  
  
Serena glanced around. A bed to the corner with dark green   
patterned set, light green curtains decorating the window, which   
replaced one side of the walls…a pretty room. There was a desk across   
the bed, a green lamp on it and a chair by it. The last side of the   
walls was the closet…and the sliding doors were big mirrors. The whole   
room smelled of fresh spring. She turned to Amy, and gave her a big   
grin. "I love it! Lots of green, though."  
  
Amy smiled. "Yeah, well, I was getting tired of seeing blue   
all over."   
  
Serena laughed. "Let me get my luggage."   
  
"Hey, Serena?"   
  
She turned around and looked at Amy. "Yeah, Ames?"  
  
"I'm really glad you're here." Amy smiled softly.  
  
Serena smiled back. "Me, too." She hugged Amy, and closed her   
eyes, smiling.   
  
  
Amy almost choked on her juice. "What? Seriously?"   
  
Serena grinned and started to laugh at the look on Amy's face.   
"I am telling you, it SO happened. I couldn't believe it either…but oh   
well!" She grinned again, and then took a gulp of her soda.  
  
Amy giggled, and put her cup down. "Oh my god…I don't believe   
it! How could I not notice it? I was around him AND her practically   
everyday!"  
  
"I guess I have good eyes," Serena answered easily, smiling.   
  
"Oh, man…hey, what time is it?" Amy suddenly asked, glancing   
around the bedroom.  
  
"Don't ask me--I don't know. It's your house."   
  
Amy focused her eyes on the clock standing on her nightstand.   
"Wow! It's one forty-two already!"  
  
Serena's eyes widened, and she turned a whole angle to look   
at the clock. "Seriously? Oh, man…I didn't know it was that late   
already."   
  
"Oh well, tomorrow's Saturday--and we don't have anywhere to   
go, so we can sleep all we want!" Amy exclaimed, stretching in her   
pajamas--a tank-top and baggy cotton pants.   
  
Serena stood up from where she was sitting on the floor, and   
yawned. "I guess I'll be going to bed now. Night, Ames." She smiled   
and started to leave.  
  
"Serena." Amy called after her, her dark blue eyes sparkling.   
"I haven't laughed so much in just two hours ever since I attended   
college. Thanks."   
  
"No, thank YOU. Thank you for letting me stay here, Ames. I   
mean it." The laughter died from her eyes, and she gazed down at the   
floor, thinking of Darien and all the complications between them.   
  
Amy smiled. "Night, Serena. See you in the morning."   
  
"See ya." Serena walked out of the bedroom, and went into the   
room that she temporarily lived in. I wonder when will Amy get a   
smaller place--if she ever will…   
  
She flipped open the green comforter and sheets, and crawled   
into bed.   
  
  
  
  
The phone rang endlessly in his ears. Darien groaned and   
turned on his bed. The ringing still went on. His eyes blinked open,   
and he muttered a curse as he slowly struggled to get himself out of   
bed and answer the phone.  
  
  
  
He picked up the phone and pressed the Talk button. "Hello?"   
he said groggily.  
  
"God, what is wrong with you people? It's eleven in the   
morning, you know--if I didn't know you better, I would've hanged up,   
like, twenty rings ago."   
  
He was suddenly more awake now. The voice… "Lita? Is that   
you?"   
  
"Of course it's me, Darien! Who else do you think it is?"   
Lita's voice was more cheerful now, and had a bit of a teasing tone   
in it. "So, what's happening with you guys, anyway? Why did you wait   
so long to answer the phone?"   
  
He rubbed his hands, and sat up straighter. "I just barely   
woke up."   
  
"Aah. Still isn't a morning person, I see. What about Raye?   
Or Chad?" Lita questioned.  
  
"I don't know. Probably out to someplace together, I guess."   
  
There was a pause. "Together? As in, dating together?"   
  
He couldn't help but chuckle at the sound of Lita's voice.   
"Yes. They're actually together right now."  
  
"Oh my gosh, I don't believe it! And I can't believe Raye   
didn't even bother call to tell me!"   
  
He became more serious. "So, how are you, Lita? Everything   
good at your new place?"   
  
There was another slight pause. "Actually…that's what I   
called to tell you guys about."   
  
Something in her voice stopped him cold. "Lita…is something   
wrong?"   
  
She sighed, a sad sigh--something that he hardly ever hear   
from her. "God, I feel so stupid. I-I stayed at the new apartment for   
about two weeks, and then one of my really close friends at college   
called, and without phoning the manager, I just went with her on this   
vacation thing--she provided everything. She was planning to go with   
her boyfriend, but that didn't work out." Another sigh. "Anyway, I   
didn't think it was necessary for me to call the manager. Who knew   
that the vacation would last so long? I just barely got back last   
week. God, Darien, you should see the manager. He practically threw   
me out. I missed the paying due date for like, what, ten days? And   
now he's asking me to pack and leave."   
  
It was sort of hard to keep up, with him still groggy from   
his sleep, but he mostly got what she had said. "So basically, you're   
saying, you're without a place to stay right now, and you want to   
come back?"   
  
There was definite relief in her voice. "Oh, I'm so glad you   
understand. You have no idea how much I've fussed over whether to call   
you guys or not. I mean, I left in such a hurry, not giving you time to   
find another roommate, leaving you guys to pay the rent three-way for   
the expensive house, and--"  
  
"Hey, hey, Lita, it's okay. Actually, we found a roommate not   
long after you left, and we got her just in time for the rent starting   
the new month, too." That brought him thinking of Serena again. Darien   
forced to keep himself concentrated on Lita's problem.   
  
"Oh." She sighed sadly over the phone. "Oh, that's really   
great for you guys, finding another roommate and all…but…god, Darien,   
do you know any place that I can crash in temporarily?"   
  
Darien hesitated, not knowing whether or not he should tell   
Lita that Serena was gone for now. "So, uh, how long do you mean by   
'temporarily'?"   
  
"Until I find another apartment to live in, of course."   
  
He softly pulled the cord of the phone, still hesitant. He cleared his   
throat. "Hey, Lit…listen, Serena--that's the roommate's name, she's   
gone…for like, three weeks or something. I think you can live here…  
until she comes back, of course."   
  
"Oh, my god! You mean that? Ooh! God, Darien, thank you sooo   
much! You don't know how much this means to me! I'm going to be moving   
my stuff in tomorrow, okay? No, wait, how about right now? It's only an   
hour away from here. My gosh…I'm so excited, just think, us four   
together again, just like old times!" Lita laughed joyfully. "Oh man…"  
  
"Lita…" Darien felt a bit tense, "You do realize that once   
Serena comes back from her vacation, you'll have to move out, right?"   
  
But Lita didn't seem to hear him. "Remember what we used to do  
on Friday nights where we all didn't have dates? Ooh, we can do that   
again now! I really am sorry that I moved out so unexpectedly…but I'm   
going to be with you guys now! Ooh, Darien, I'm so happy!"  
  
He couldn't say anything. He listened to her while she rambled   
on and on. He sighed to himself. Hopefully Lita would remember to move   
out when Serena came back.   
  
He looked away, concentrating on the scene outside of his   
window. When was Serena coming back? In three weeks, like she said? He   
seriously hoped Serena was good at keeping her words.   
  
  
  
  
"You did…what?" Raye stared at Darien, her eyes huge.  
  
"I just…sort of invited her back in. I mean, come on, what   
was I supposed to do, anyway?" Darien shoved his hands into his khaki   
pockets,and looked back at Raye with as much cool on his face as he   
could make.   
  
Chad nodded his head seriously. "True. But…what about   
Serena?"  
  
Darien stiffened. "There's nothing 'about' Serena. When she   
comes back from wherever, Lita will move out."   
  
"And what if she hasn't found an apartment by then? What will   
happen then? Have them both here or something?" Raye pressed, her  
eyes narrowed at him.  
  
Darien threw up his hands. "I don't know! God, don't act like   
it's my fault, all right? I was just trying to be a decent friend.   
Lita needed a place to stay, and I told her that she could stay here   
for a while. That's no big deal, is it?"   
  
"No, not right now, it isn't," Raye said, "But when Serena   
comes back, and sees Lita living here…" She sighed, and shook her head.   
"Then you tell me if it is a big deal or not." She flashed another   
look at him, then left the room.   
  
Chad looked at Darien. "I think you did the right thing…but   
I don't know if it is quite so right when Serena comes back…" He put   
a hand on Darien's shoulder. Then he left the room also.  
  
Darien stared at the gray-carpeted floor, and cocked an   
eyebrow.  
  
  
  
  
"The fall semester's going to start in another week, you   
know," Amy told Serena, studying her with a serious expression.  
  
Serena looked back at her, her face expressionless. "Yeah,   
I know. What, you want me to get out of your house? You tired of me   
now?" She teased.  
  
Immediately, Amy's face became panicky. "Oh, come on,   
Serena, you know that's not true. I love having you here. But…don't   
you want to get ready for it when the year starts?"   
  
The smile on Serena's face faded. "Yeah," she said quietly,   
"I know. I just…I don't know if I should go back there…I mean…" She   
stood up from the bed and walked to the window. She pulled open the   
curtains.   
  
Amy also got up, and came to stand next to Serena. "You do   
want to go back, don't you?"   
  
"Yes, I do. But yet…" She turned away, and leaned her back   
against the wall. "I don't…you know? He's so complicated…and I don't   
know if I can be myself if I'm around him. Hell, I almost never am   
myself when I'm around him."  
  
"Aren't you? Or is he bringing out another side of you that   
you never knew about?"   
  
Serena almost smiled, because she thought Amy was joking, but   
when she looked at Amy's serious face, she dropped her gaze. "Look, all   
I know is, when I'm with you, I'm always cheerful, happy…hyper. When   
I'm with him, I feel…not like myself."   
  
Amy smiled this time. "Well…it's getting late. I should go to   
bed now." She leaned over and gave Serena a hug. "Good night."  
  
"Good night, Amy. Sleep tight." Serena watched Amy go out of   
the room. She reached over and pulled the curtains back, then fell   
flat on her back to her bed. "Oh…" She sighed, and stretched over to   
turn the light off. She turned so her left side was facing down, but   
her eyes weren't ready to close just yet.   
  
She stared in the darkness, feeling a million thoughts   
rushing in and out of her brain. She remembered the poems that she   
read of Darien…the ones that she wasn't supposed to look at…probably   
ever. Suddenly, she smiled. She couldn't believe that a guy like   
Darien would write poems…especially poems about her. She stopped her   
smile cold. "You're not sure that they were about you. They could be   
about anyone…anything."   
  
Still, she liked the thought of Darien writing poems about   
her. It was…flattering, and it was a nice feeling, inspiring him like   
that. Her eyelids were becoming heavy. She let out a small sigh,   
tucked a hand under her face, and closed her eyes completely.  
  
  
  
  
Lita let out a laugh. "That has got to be the most funniest   
blooper I've ever seen…"  
  
Raye, who was sitting in Chad's lap on the couch, laughed   
also. "Yep, I have to agree."   
  
"You know, have you guys realized that commercials, nowadays,   
are getting sillier, scarier, more daring, and…just plain better?"   
Chad asked, glancing around at the other three.  
  
"Yeah, I don't even mind watching commercials that much   
anymore, except, of course, when it's interrupting my favorite shows   
or something," Lita replied, smiling at the TV screen.  
  
Raye groaned loudly. "Yeah…don't you just hate it when that   
happens?"   
  
"Flip the channel, yeah? This talk show's getting boring,"   
Darien said to Lita, who was holding the remote control.  
  
"Sure. Just let me know when you wanna stop." Lita held up   
the remote, and started pushing the Channel button.   
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down! How am I supposed to know what   
kind of show it's showing when you flip through it so quickly like   
that?" Darien protested, and grabbed another handful of popcorn.  
  
Lita automatically slowed down.   
  
"You guys, I'm suddenly so craving for ice cream right now.   
Do we still have some left in the freezer? I think I bought some last   
week…did you finish it?" Raye narrowed her eyes at Lita, "I know you   
love ice cream, Lita…but you better not tell me you finished it."  
  
Lita laughed, and handed the remote to Darien. "You see which   
one you want. Raye, I know you know I love ice cream, but this time,   
I absolutely swear that I did not eat any of your ice cream. But NOW…"  
  
Raye sighed, but smiled, and got off Chad's lap. "I'm going   
to get some. Anyone else want any?"   
  
"I hate ice cream," Chad said in a disgusted tone.   
  
"I'll have some…these popcorn are getting softer…I hate   
popcorns that aren't crunchy," Darien said, looking at the popcorn   
sitting on the glass table in front of the couch.  
  
Lita shook her head. "My oh my, picky little people we have   
here."  
  
Raye came back with three plates, each having two scoops of   
vanilla ice cream on them. She handed Darien and Lita spoons, and   
then sat down on the floor next to Chad's legs. She licked her ice   
cream. "Aah…delicious."   
  
"Just watch, when I wake up tomorrow, I'm going to have a   
major stomachache," Darien said, eating a spoonful of ice cream.  
  
"Why?" Lita asked, eyes on the TV screen.  
  
"That's how I always get when I eat ice cream."   
  
"Well, then, hand it over, since you don't want it!" Lita   
went over to get a hold of Darien's plate.   
  
Darien held his plate up high. "No, no, no, I didn't say I   
didn't want it!"  
  
"Well, you didn't say you wanted a stomachache, either, so   
hand over the plate of ice cream!" She put her plate down, and   
stretched her hand out even more.  
  
He chuckled. "If you're that desperate for ice cream, have   
Raye get you more!"  
  
"No way! Let me finish this mouth watering plate first!"   
Raye immediately replied, leaning farther against the bottom of the   
couch.  
  
Chad shook his head. "You guys are in COLLEGE, and you can   
act SO immature sometimes…"  
  
Lita stopped fussing with Darien and slowly turned to Chad.   
"WHAT did you say…?"  
  
Raye's eyes widened as a smile spread across her face. "Uh-oh.   
Wrong thing to say, Chad…you KNOW how much Lita HATE to be called   
immature…"  
  
"Oh, shit." A grin appeared on Chad's face, and he held up   
two hands in front of his face.   
  
Lita laughed. "Aww…scared of a little girl now, aren't you,   
Mr. Man?"   
  
Darien laughed out loud. "Mr. Man?" He laughed again, "That   
has got to be the gayest name I've ever heard…but it fits Chad!"  
  
Raye went over and smacked Darien's leg. "Watch what you're   
saying about my boyfriend, cousin!"  
  
Suddenly, they heard a door close.   
  
"I'm glad you guys are having so much fun."  
  
The four stopped, and turned toward the voice.   
  
"Serena." The name automatically slipped out of Darien's lips.  
  
A big grin spread across Raye's features. "Serena! You're   
back!" She jumped up, put her plate of ice cream down, and ran toward   
Serena to give her a hug. "How did you come back? How did you get back   
from the train station? Oh! Who cares, you're back!!" She hugged Serena   
tighter.  
  
Serena hugged Raye back, her eyes still on Lita. "Yeah…I'm   
actually…back."  
  
Lita stood up straighter, and smiled politely. "This is the   
other roommate, right?"  
  
Raye turned around and nodded, beaming. "Yep. Serena, I'd like   
you to meet, Lita. Lita, Serena. Now you two know each other."   
  
Serena smiled back, and went over to Lita. "Hi." She looked   
around. "So, uh," she began confusedly, "Are you moved back in here or   
something?"  
  
"Well, yes, I guess," Lita answered, and let out a laugh,   
"They miss me so much that they want me back desperately."  
  
It was only a small change, but Darien noticed Serena's eyes   
lost their sparkle when Lita said that. He immediately opened his mouth,   
"No, no, she's not moved back in. She just needed a place to crash   
temporarily, and now that you're back--"  
  
"I'll move out, no problem," Lita continued without missing a   
beat. She grinned.   
  
Serena looked at Lita in surprise.  
  
"Of course, I'll have to find another apartment in the   
meantime, but I'll be okay," Lita said in a quieter voice, but kept the   
smile on her face.  
  
There was silence in the room for a few seconds.  
  
"You know what, it's okay. I can just go back to Amy's…until   
the semester starts. Or I can find another apartment--" Serena heard   
her voice crack, and she stopped talking.  
  
"No!" Raye immediately protested, and put an arm around   
Serena. "What the hell are you talking about? You're not moving out to   
anywhere! Lita just needed a place to stay temporarily, that's all,   
she'll move out…" She shot a death glare at Darien. 'Look what you've   
done now.'  
  
Darien didn't notice it, because he was still staring at  
Serena.   
  
Serena was hesitant. "Are you sure?" She looked at Lita, her   
eyes a bit wide.  
  
"Uh…yeah! You did pay this month's rent, after all, so you're  
still the roommate," Lita replied, looking around the house while she   
talked.   
  
"But where would you stay?" Chad suddenly asked, his brows   
furrowed together.  
  
Raye turned and gave another glare to him. Then, she turned   
back to Lita, and smiled, "We'll help you find another apartment that's   
near enough to the college and good, too, don't worry."   
  
Lita smiled. "Thanks." She rubbed her hands together. "So, I   
guess, I'll be moving my stuff."   
  
Serena looked at her own luggage that was still placed by the   
door. "I'll get my stuff…into the room." She went to get them, and   
started up the stairs after Lita.  
  
After they were out of sight, Raye immediately walked to   
Darien, and punched him in the arm. "See what I meant? God! Where do   
you expect Lita to go right now? And if you let Lita stay, then where   
the hell is Serena supposed to go? Man!!" She let out a grunt.  
  
Darien exhaled. "I'm going to go talk…to her."   
  
"No, let me!" Raye eyed him carefully, "I'm afraid that you're   
going to say something that's going to ruin it even more." She started   
toward the stairs.  
  
Darien sighed again, then followed after his cousin.   
  
Chad stood there, looking after the two with a confused   
expression on his face.   
  
  
  
  
Lita wrapped a piece of paper around her marble pencil vase,   
and then put it in her duffle bag. She went over to the closet, and   
got out her shirts and a few pants. She tossed them on top of the bag.   
She smiled an apologetic smile at Serena. "Sorry. I have too much   
stuff, don't I?"   
  
Serena shook her head. "No, It's okay. But what happened to   
all of your other stuff? I mean, you can't just have this little bag  
containing all of your belongings."   
  
"Yeah, some other things like pictures frames and stuff are   
in another bigger, MUCH bigger suitcase," Lita pointed deeper into   
the closet, "It's in there. Luckily, I don't have furniture from my   
last apartment--it provided everything. That's why it was so   
comfortable there. Well, this house does, too, but…that was bigger.  
But stupidly, I forgot to pay the rent…" She sighed, and shook her   
head, as if disapproving herself.   
  
"Where are you going to go now?" Serena couldn't help but   
ask.   
  
"I really don't know. Maybe I can crash at my friend Ken's   
house…but…" Lita bit her lip, and lowered her eyes. "He's a guy, and   
he has a one bedroom apartment…I don't know…"   
  
Serena frowned, feeling frustrated. She barely knew this   
Lita, but she knew it wasn't Lita's fault that she was staying here.   
Still, she couldn't help but feel weird that Darien and them didn't   
even bother to tell her.   
  
"Lita, you need any help?" Darien appeared by the door.  
  
Lita smiled. "No. What, you can't wait till I'm out of the   
house?"   
  
"No!" Raye also appeared, and then walked into the room. "Of   
course not. But…Lit--are you going to be all right?"   
  
Lita sighed. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll give Ken a call. I   
think he'll let me stay there, but I can't stay long. You know, I was  
about to go and stay there when I was thrown out of my apartment, but   
since he's a guy, and we used to be…you know, I figured it would be a   
little bit…uncomfortable. So I gave you guys a call instead." She   
turned to folding and putting her clothes in the suitcase.  
  
"Well, you don't have to go now. I mean, at least stay   
until tonight. We'll all go out for pizza or something," Darien   
offered, looking at Lita apologetically.   
  
"Yeah, Lita. I mean, if you hadn't moved out in such a   
hurry--we would still go out for pizza or hamburger today, anyway--it's   
Friday night, we always do that when we don't have dates, remember?"   
Raye said, smiling at Lita, her eyes sparkling.   
  
Serena dropped her gaze. "Excuse me for a moment." She walked   
out of the room, and started to climb downstairs.  
  
Darien gave Raye a sharp look, but didn't open his mouth. He   
got out of the room also, and went after Serena to the first floor.  
  
Raye suddenly realized what she had just said. "Oh my god…I   
just SO excluded Serena! How can I be so stupid?" She felt like   
smacking herself. If Lita weren't there, she would've actually.  
  
"Wow. You guys sure developed a strong friendship with Serena   
in such short time," Lita remarked, not really looking at Raye, and not   
really concentrating on packing, either.  
  
Raye watched Lita as she put the folded clothes into the bag.   
"Yeah…I guess…Serena's very…lovable." She suddenly had a flash of Darien   
and Serena in her mind. She smiled slightly.   
  
"I'm going to give Ken a call right now." Lita fished a small   
phone pad out of her purse. "Let's see…" She picked up the cordless   
phone in the room, and dialed.   
  
After a few seconds, someone picked up. "Hey, Ken? It's Lita."   
Lita's face was forming a smile. "Yeah…listen, I really need to ask you   
a favor. I need a place to stay. Not forever, definitely, and I can't   
really say how long, but it's only for right now. So, is it okay?"   
  
Raye watched Lita's face carefully for any reaction.   
  
"Yeah, I know the new semester's about to start. Something just   
happened to my apartment…yeah, I KNOW it was perfect…did you have to   
remind me?" A laugh escaped Lita's throat. "Yeah, sure, sure, of course,   
that's what you're here for, right?"  
  
Raye thought as she looked at Lita admirably. Suddenly   
she thought of Chad. Then she shook her head to get rid of the thought.  
  
  
  
  
  
Serena leaned against the wall in the so-called family room.   
She sighed quietly, and closed her eyes. She should've stayed at Amy's   
longer. Then she snorted. Yeah, right. How much "longer" could she have   
stayed? The fall semester was to start on Monday.   
  
"Serena."   
  
She knew immediately who it was. She turned to look at him,   
with no surprise on her face. She felt stiff when her eyes landed on   
his face.   
  
"You okay?" Darien asked, coming closer to her so that they   
were only about a foot apart.  
  
Serena looked up into his blue eyes, and felt herself soften.   
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?" She frowned slightly for effect.  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. I thought maybe you…feel   
uncomfortable or something."  
  
"Oh really? Well, for your information, I don't. Honest." She  
turned away from him, and went to sit in front of the fireplace. She   
stared at the wooden sticks in it.  
  
He came to stand behind her. "Lita did say she just needed a   
place to stay in for a little while. And she's such a good friend of   
ours, I couldn't say no. And I told her that when you come back, she   
has to go."   
  
She looked at him, and for a moment, didn't say anything.   
  
He stared back at her, his midnight blue eyes locked with baby   
blue ones.   
  
Then she smiled. "You know, you didn't have to explain. It's   
really no big deal…I mean…" She let out a small sigh. "Okay, I admit it.   
Watching the four of you laughing together like that when I came back…  
just somehow reminded me that you four were together in the first place,   
and I'm just a, a person that can help pay the rent when Lita is gone.   
I just get this feeling…that, that whenever she feels like coming back,   
she can just stay and I have to go."   
  
He looked at her, not sure what to say. He frowned, and then   
gazed into her eyes, "Serena. Lita is a really great friend. But…" He   
cleared his throat, "you are, too. I mean…yeah, you are someone who   
helps pay the rent for this house--but it's also because…we like you.   
I mean, if we didn't like you as a friend, we would've kicked you   
out--at least, Raye would've." He offered a smile.  
  
She smiled back. "Yeah."  
  
"So you have nothing to worry about. Lita's staying is   
temporary.You see--she's packing right now, and she's going to leave.   
And you're going to be back here again…and then the semester's going   
to start."   
  
She groaned. "Don't remind me…time to get into studies again."  
  
He couldn't help but grin at the expression on her face.   
  
Serena watched Darien. "You know…I believe you were actually   
being nice to me."  
  
His grin widened, and his eyes had a glint in them. "Well,   
don't expect it too often."   
  
She laughed. "Of course not." Then, in a more serious tone,   
"Thanks, Darien, for coming down after me. You didn't have to,   
honestly. I was fine, and I AM fine. Next time take that hint."   
  
He looked at her. "Depends on the circumstances." He started   
to walk out of the family room.  
  
"Do you guys actually spend any family time here?" She asked,   
stopping him. She glanced around the cozy room, wondering.  
  
He turned back and looked around also. "Well…not really. We   
never are in here together. Like, when I want to study for some exam,   
and Raye is watching TV out in the living room, I come in here, where   
it's quieter, and cozier--since my room is just right beside the TV."  
  
"Oh." She stayed in the room for a few more seconds, then   
walked out. "We should spend some time in there together," she murmured   
under her breath.  
  
He looked after her, a bit confused. He followed her out to   
the living room. "What do you mean?"   
  
She turned around, surprised. "You heard me?"   
  
He nodded, a half-grin on his face. "Yeah."  
  
A quick smile appeared on her face. "I didn't realize."  
  
"So you gonna tell me what you're thinking inside that   
beautiful head of yours?" He smiled at her, eyes holding an amused   
glint.  
  
Her eyes widened a bit--she couldn't believe that he had   
actually called her beautiful. She felt her face getting hot, but she   
controlled herself to keep cool. Act like nothing just happened.   
"Nothing, actually. I was just thinking how a waste it is to be called   
a family room when no 'family' rarely spends any time in there."  
  
"Because there isn't a family to spend with."  
  
She looked at him, and smiled, shaking her head. "Aren't we a   
family? Sure, we are not blood related, but we act like one, don't we?"   
  
He smiled back. "We argue, we constantly get on each other's   
nerves, we have love--yeah, I guess you can say that we are a family."   
  
"We actually have love in this family?" She teased, "Wow. I   
didn't know love even existed in this household."  
  
"Oh, it exists all right…it's just not…obvious yet," he   
replied, in a quieter voice.  
  
She swallowed a lump in her throat. "You know…something's   
changed since I came back." She looked at him, tightening her eyes.  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"The way we are acting right now, to each other…we act like,   
like…"  
  
"Like we don't feel like squeezing each other's throats?" A   
lopsided grin formed on his face.  
  
She sighed, smiling. "Yeah." Her voice was barely above a   
whisper.   
  
For the next few minutes, no one said anything. They stayed   
in a comfortable silence, looking at each other closely.  
  
He was glad she was back. Very glad.   
  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
  
Visit my website at http://www6.ewebcity.com/moonieround 


	6. Try Me

Try me - Part 6  
By Henra  
HjMcgi@cryingmail.com  
PG rated  
  
Hello everyone!! :) I LOVED reading all of the emails! Thank you   
and keep sending them!   
  
Enjoy this part and email me afterwards!  
  
**************  
  
Darien took the juice out of the refrigerator, his eyes still   
hurting a bit from being exposed to lights so suddenly. He set the   
carton on the counter, and went to get a glass from the cabinets. He   
sat down on the high stool, and started pouring juice into the glass.   
  
A slight shuffle noise reached his ear, and he turned to see   
Chad walking toward the refrigerator, rubbing his eyes sleepily.   
Shaking his head, he asked, "Couldn't sleep?"  
  
"Aaaaaah!" Chad let out a shriek, and with round and now   
focused eyes, stared at Darien. "What the hell? You scared me half to   
death, you freak!"  
  
Darien rolled his eyes. "You're the one that didn't notice I   
was sitting here."  
  
"And I thought someone left the kitchen lights on." Chad took   
out a plate with cookies out of the refrigerator, and peeled off the   
plastic covering. "Boy, am I hungry." He started munching on one.  
  
"Raye's gonna kill you, you know. She hates it when people eat   
her cookies without telling her first," Darien remarked, taking another   
sip of his juice.  
  
"Yeah well, she gotta deal with it. Besides, I can't go wake   
her up now and tell her I'm eating her cookies, right?" Chad flashed   
Darien a grin, and grabbed another cookie from the plate.   
  
Darien finished the rest of his drink with a large gulp. He   
got up from the stool, and put the carton of juice back into the   
refrigerator."Well, I'm going back to sleep now. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, sure--wait, man!" Chad suddenly exclaimed, stopping   
Darien.  
  
He glanced at Chad confusedly, and asked, "What?"   
  
"Just out of curiosity, man…when are you gonna get together   
with Serena?" Chad stopped eating now, and looked at Darien seriously,   
his brows slightly knotted together.  
  
That caught his attention. He turned fully around so he could   
face Chad, and asked, trying to get a lighter tone to his voice, "What   
made you suddenly think of that?"  
  
Chad rolled his eyes, and pulled the plastic cover over the   
plate, sticking it around the edge. "I just get this feeling that you   
want her, and she wants you…but you two never do anything about it."  
  
Darien let out a small chuckle. "And what makes you think I   
want to change this game of ours?" Yet he felt his pulse quicken, just   
at the thought of getting closer to Serena. He remembered their   
conversation earlier this evening, and decided to keep it to himself   
that he and Serena might've had taken their first step out of being   
regular friends and into something more.  
  
Because, of course, he could always be wrong.  
  
"Just…don't be too stubborn, all right, man? She's here right   
now, don't let her slip away. Once she does, you'll definitely regret   
it." Chad stared at the cookies, and his fingers wiggled involuntarily.   
"God, how does Raye make them so good? She probably learned the   
technique from Lita." Unable to help himself, he unwrapped the covering   
again, and took out another one.  
  
Darien lingered there for a few more seconds, thinking about   
Chad's words. Watching his friend eating one cookie after another, he   
couldn't help but comment with a half grin, "Raye is going to have a   
heart attack tomorrow, you know, once she sees this."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
The soft female voice startled them both. Darien saw her first,   
and as surprised as he was when he saw Chad, he wasn't surprised to see   
Serena awake at this time of the hour. After all, she had before. He   
half-smiled at her, and motioned for her to come closer. "I guess none   
of us could get some decent sleep without a snack."  
  
"I didn't come here for a snack, okay? I just woke up, and   
wanted a glass of water. Then I saw the kitchen lights on, and so I came   
here to see what was going on," Serena answered, dragging her feet   
across the floor. She took out a glass from the cabinets and inserted   
it under the tap water faucet, letting drops of water fall into it. She   
drank it thirstily, emptying the glass with large gulps. "Aah…" She   
smiled softly, and put the glass under the faucet for more.  
  
"Want a cookie, anyway?" Chad asked, holding up a chocolate   
cookie and waving it in the air.  
  
Serena's eyes landed on the near-empty plate that was set in   
front of Chad, and she almost choked on the water. "Oh my god! How the   
hell could you finish those cookies without Raye? When she finds this   
tomorrow morning, she's going to kill you, I swear." She pretended to   
be as serious as she could manage.  
  
Darien grinned. "See what I told you?"   
  
Serena turned away from his perfect teeth and twinkling eyes,   
and forced her eyes to look at the glass of water in her hands. She   
leaned against the sink, wondering if she should leave or not.   
  
Chad gazed at the cookies in front of him, and suddenly felt   
guilty. "You're right. I did eat a lot. There's only…four left. I can't   
believe I was so hungry."   
  
"What are you people doing up also?"   
  
Chad yelped when he heard the voice. "Raye!"  
  
Raye came into the light with an amused glint in her eyes.   
"All three of you couldn't sleep too? Geez, some night this is. Is   
everybody hungry or what?"   
  
Darien looked at Serena. Serena looked at Chad. Chad looked at   
Raye. Raye looked back at him, then her gaze slipped down, until it   
caught the sight of the plate containing exactly four cookies. Her eyes   
popped out, and her jaw dropped. "WHAT THE HELL?"  
  
Not able to contain themselves any longer, Serena and Darien   
burst out laughing. Chad bit his lip from smiling also, knowing that if   
he did, it would be the death of him. "Raye…I can explain."   
  
"And you better give a damn good explanation, too! Four left!   
Out of all those!!" Raye's eyes were flashing, her cheeks tinted with   
red, her hands clutched into fists by her sides.  
  
"Okay, Raye…come on, it's the middle of the night…and   
coincidentally," Serena half smiled, "we are all awake, and in the   
kitchen. This is pretty cool, wouldn't you say? You can always bake   
those cookies again."   
  
"Yeah, and I'll help," Chad offered, making a silly grin on   
his face.  
  
"We'll ALL help," Darien said, smiling also, looking closely at   
Raye.  
  
A small smile slowly bloomed on her face. She looked at the   
three people standing before her, all in their pajamas, and laughed out   
loud. "God…why are we ALL awake now, anyway?"  
  
They glanced at each other, amused smiles forming on all their   
faces.   
  
"Well…does anyone want to go back to sleep now?" Serena asked,   
though deep in her heart she hoped that no one would. It was rather   
nice…all her roommates in one room together, IN their pajamas…it felt   
comfortable and cozy.  
  
"Tomorrow's Sunday…so we can sleep all we want…" Chad said,   
his smile widening with each word.  
  
"And what, may I ask, are we going to do right now?" Darien   
asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"How about we start those cookies?" Raye offered brightly, her   
eyes lit up with delight.  
  
Serena laughed. "Now? Are you actually serious? It's like   
three o'clock in the morning!"  
  
"Yeah, and that's what makes it so different! I have the   
ingredients…and we can all start on something. Probably four different   
bowls…or if you guys want, different flavors, too!"   
  
Serena could tell Raye was getting excited over the idea. She   
looked at Darien, and raised her eyebrows questioningly. He shrugged   
back at her. She glanced over at Chad, who was smiling at Raye, and   
rolled her eyes. "All right, then…I guess we'll do that."  
  
"But first, let me make some coffee," Darien said, walking   
over to the coffeemaker.   
  
Raye got out four big bowls from the cabinet, and stacked them   
on the counter next to the sink. She put her hands on her hips and   
surveyed the other three people in the room. "Let's get started."   
  
Chad immediately focused on her, and Darien started the coffee   
maker. Raye began to walk around, and explained the directions   
carefully, emphasizing on the main parts. In just a short while, the   
rich smell of coffee filled the kitchen air, and Darien took a place   
next to Serena as they started working.   
  
Serena looked up from her bowl a few minutes later, and   
glanced around her in a soft smile, slowly melting into this comfort.  
She had never felt closer to her roommates.   
  
  
  
  
Serena's eyes fluttered, and slowly opened as she became more   
awake. She lifted up her head from the armrest of the sofa, and looked  
around. She almost laughed.   
  
Everyone was dead asleep.  
  
Raye and Chad were on the floor by the other end of the sofa.   
Raye's head was on Chad's shoulder, her hair a complete mess, and was   
breathing heavily. Chad was leaning against the leg of the sofa, his   
mouth partly open, and Serena could hear a light snore coming from him.   
There were cookie crumbs around his hand, and a paper plate containing   
one chocolate chip cookie. Serena shook her head, and slowly got up   
from where she was stretched out on the sofa. Her legs felt as if she   
hadn't used them in years. "That's what you get for not sleeping in a   
bed…" she muttered under her breath.  
  
A small shifting sound made her turn to look toward Darien's   
room. The door was open, and she took a step closer to look inside.   
Darien was lying on his stomach on his bed; his face turned sideways,   
slowly breathing in and out. She couldn't help but smile at the sight   
of his almost-angelic face. His wrinkled clothes automatically had her   
looking down at her own clothes. She made a face, and hurried upstairs.  
  
  
Raye stirred in her sleep. She felt something on her shoulder,   
and opened her eyes. Her eyes first shifted to her shoulder, where she   
found a familiar-looking hand hanging down from it. Chad. Her heart   
skipped a beat, and she lifted her head. She immediately felt a light   
head rush, and closed her eyes briefly.   
  
She sat up, and realized where she was. She smiled, and   
glanced at the paper plate next to Chad's hand--one cookie left. She   
hesitated, then shrugged, and reached over to take it.   
  
"Raye, put that cookie down!"   
  
Startled, Raye almost did drop the cookie. She looked toward   
where the voice was from, and when she saw Serena, she rolled her eyes   
and laughed. "It's the last one. I get to eat it."  
  
Serena stood there with a blue sundress on. Her hair was   
clipped up, the ends nicely sticking out from behind her head. "You   
haven't even brushed your teeth yet…how can you stand your bad breath?"   
she teased.  
  
Raye pushed the cookie into her mouth, and flashed Serena a   
triumphant smile. "I don't care, so why should you?"  
  
Serena shook her head and walked in the kitchen.   
  
Raye swallowed the cookie, looked at Chad, who was still sound   
asleep, and sighed heavily. She got up from the floor, and stretched.   
She took a look at the clock hanging on the wall space above Darien's   
bedroom door, and her gaze slipped inside. She smiled at her cousin,   
then climbed the stairs to the second floor.   
  
  
"I think I'm sick," Chad moaned as he clutched his stomach,   
turning to lie on his side on the sofa.   
  
"Let's just hope you get better before tomorrow," Serena said   
to him, a cinnamon roll in her hand. She took another bite, and chewed,   
while her other hand watched the constantly changing TV screen.  
  
"Yeah. We're going to be sophomores in college now, you know   
that?" Raye exclaimed excitedly, trying to put her hair up into a   
ponytail.  
  
"Well, I finally get to be a senior, I'm graduating soon."   
Darien flashed a toothpaste smile just for Raye, and his eyes went back   
to the TV screen again. He held up the remote control and flipped   
through the channels impatiently. He was positioned on the floor, his   
head next to Chad's hanging head from the sofa.  
  
"This year is going to be different--I have a boyfriend   
starting it with me." Raye smiled warmly at Chad, but her face changed   
immediately when she took serious notice of how he looked. "Chad…are   
you sure you're okay?"  
  
"I just said I'm sick!" Chad nearly shouted, and closed his   
eyes.  
  
"We ate too much sugar last night. It was my fault…I'm so   
sorry." Raye's eyes clouded over with concern as she went over to Chad,   
giving up on her hair. "Move over," she said to Darien, although she   
pushed him away without even waiting for a response.   
  
Serena rolled her eyes. "It's really getting old watching you   
two. I, for one, am not going to be hanging around here on the last day   
before fall semester." She finished the rest of her roll, and licked   
off the sugars on her fingertips delicately.  
  
Darien turned to look at her. "Where do you plan to go?" His   
eyes flashed brief interest.  
  
"I don't really know. Probably just drive around and see if I   
need some last minute materials." Serena went into the kitchen again,   
in search of a napkin to wipe her mouth.  
  
"I'll go with you."   
  
Three pairs of eyes immediately focused on him.   
  
Darien tried hard to stay nonchalant. "I mean, I have nothing   
else to do anyway. I'll come along."   
  
Serena wiped her mouth with a pink napkin. "Uh…do you have   
anywhere specific you want to go?" She threw the wrinkled napkin away   
into the wastebasket, and placed her hands on her hips.  
  
He shrugged. "Not really. I just don't want to stay in this   
house." He gave Raye and Chad, who were now back to talking to each   
other in low voices, an exasperated look.  
  
Serena smiled. "Sure. I'd like company. Get ready, I wanna get   
going NOW."   
  
  
  
  
"Are we done yet?" Darien asked as they walked out of another   
jewelry store.  
  
"Hey, don't complain. You're the one who asked me if you could   
come along," Serena said as her eyes darted around, trying to decide   
where to go next in the big shopping mall.   
  
He sighed next to her. "That's because I wanted to get away in   
case Raye and Chad decide to go all…mushy. But I didn't know that I was   
going to become a carrier in service of Serena the Shopper." He   
motioned to the bags he was carrying with his head.   
  
She laughed, and then immediately gasped, pointing to a shoe   
store across from where they were standing. "Let's go there! Come on!"   
She linked her arm through his, and started to pull him toward it.  
  
As he was walking, he suddenly thought of how he and Serena   
acted like when she first moved in with them. He then glanced down at   
the link that Serena made with their arms, and a lopsided smile formed   
on his lips.   
  
  
"All right, I have no one else here for opinions, so I'm   
asking you." There was a blue shirt in her right hand, and a white one   
in her left. She held them up for Darien to see, and widened her   
eyes questioningly. "Which one?"   
  
"Can't you just buy them both or something?" Darien asked,   
not really looking at the shirts.  
  
Serena rolled her eyes. "If I could, I would've done that   
already! So, come on, tell me--which you do you think will look better   
on me?" She focused her eyes on him, fully concentrating on what he was   
going to say.  
  
Darien felt a wave of discomfort washing over him. "Uh…I don't   
know. I think they'll both look great. I've seen you in blue and white   
shirts before. And you look nice in either one," he answered truthfully.  
  
"Oh." Serena started to smile, then immediately straightened   
up, and frowned slightly. "Well, you're not helping. I need to pick one.   
I don't have enough money in my purse for two."   
  
"Well…how about you buy one and I buy the other one?" Darien   
offered, digging his hand into his pocket. He felt the crisp bills,   
knowing that he had more than enough.  
  
Serena looked at him, surprised. "That would be nice. Thanks.   
I'll pay you back the minute we get back to our home." She felt her   
heart skip a beat when she heard the words 'our home' out of her mouth.   
It sounded so…cozy and warm.   
  
He smiled, the corners of his eyes wrinkling as he did so.   
"Actually…you don't have to pay me back. Just think of it as a…welcome   
present. Welcome to our house. I never did give you one when you first   
moved in."  
  
She looked at him, her heart softening with each word he said.   
"Chad didn't give me one, either…you don't need to." Her voice was   
barely above a whisper.  
  
"I want to. And besides, it's also a way of apologizing…for   
all those things I've said to you that made you upset. I hope this new   
semester will be a fresh one…for all of us."   
  
"Yeah… Me too." She smiled tentatively at him, and suddenly   
felt shy. She shook her head, a bit embarrassed, and forced herself   
to be casual. "So, come on--let's go to the counter."   
  
He followed after her, his steps matching hers as they made   
their way across the store.  
  
"Serena?" A male voice, surprised and happy, suddenly traveled   
to their ears. "Is that you?"  
  
Serena stopped, and wheeled around, regarding the guy who had   
just spoke her name quizzically. Her eyes widened when she recognized   
him. "No…"   
  
The stranger stepped closer, and a smile began to form on his   
handsome face. "Man…I never thought I would see you again. Ever."   
  
Serena forced a smile onto her face, and walked toward him   
also. "I know. Weird…isn't it?"  
  
Darien didn't know what else to do but follow her. When she   
stopped, he stopped, and looked back and forth between the two. He   
cleared his throat softly.   
  
Serena immediately glanced at Darien, and offered an   
apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce. Daniel, this is   
Darien, one of my roommates. Darien, this is…Daniel."  
  
"Oh…Daniel. Nice to meet you." Darien grinned, and extended   
his hand, recalling the letter that he had read of Serena's to Mina.   
So this was the guy that he was supposed to be "more gorgeous" than.   
He couldn't help but size up the guy.  
  
Daniel Rowing took his hand and shook it. "Hey." His eyes   
shifted over to Serena, then to Darien, and finally switched back and   
forth between the two. "Are you…together?"   
  
Serena laughed, shaking her head. "Of course not! Why would   
you think that? We're just friends, in a mall together." She flashed   
Darien a look, signaling him to agree with her.  
  
He immediately nodded. "Yeah. Don't think too much of this,   
uh, Daniel."   
  
Daniel smiled, shrugging. "Hey, how was I supposed to know?"   
He gazed at Serena again, his smile widening. "We haven't talked in   
ages…it must be fate, you know--that we are meeting again."  
  
"Yes…fate," Serena replied, a smile also spreading on her   
face. She glanced around, "Uh…are you here alone?"  
  
"No, my, my friend is over there--checking out some clothes."   
He pointed to a slim girl with long brown hair who was surveying a   
bunch of spaghetti strap shirts. She noticed him, and gave him a big   
flirty smile.  
  
Serena felt a wave of discomfort. She shifted in her place,   
and noticed the clothes on her hands. "Uh…I gotta get this to the   
counter. It was nice meeting you again, Daniel. I guess I'll see you   
sometime later." She smiled again, and started to move her feet.  
  
"Yeah, sure. I'll, uh--I'll call you!" Daniel called out as   
Serena walked away.  
  
  
Serena muttered something under her breath, and quickened   
her pace. She stood in a line with three other people, and Darien   
stood beside her, trying hard not to grin. She glanced at him, and   
remarked in a exasperated voice, "What?"  
  
"It's just that…you don't seem to like that brunette very   
much." He motioned for her to move up one space after another person   
was finished.  
  
Serena stepped up, then turned to glare at him. "That's none   
of your business."  
  
"Here," He took out a twenty dollar bill from his pocket and   
placed it in her palm. "For the shirt."   
  
Serena looked down at it, and flashed him a smile. "Thanks."   
  
"No problem. I said I would pay for it. I've got you a   
welcome present now." He winked at her, grinning into her face.  
  
She laughed, and then moved up one more spot after another   
person was done.   
  
"I do think you were right though," he said, a full smile on   
his face as he watched her under his eyelids. He couldn't resist taking   
a step closer to her.  
  
She looked up at him, and a small knot formed between her   
brows. "What? I was right about what?"  
  
"I AM more gorgeous than him."   
  
For a moment, no words came out of her mouth even though it   
was parted open. Then, with a slight amount of force, she pushed him,   
and rolled her eyes, looking annoyed. "Gee, you sure are modest."   
  
He grinned. "Oh, come on, you gotta admit it--that guy doesn't   
even have half of my looks."  
  
Serena glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and couldn't   
resist smiling, with his toothpaste grin flashing right in front of her.   
"God, you're impossible, you know that?"  
  
He shrugged, his eyes smiling into hers. "But that's why you   
love me, right?" And he dashed away before she could say or do anything.  
  
Serena stood there, with an exasperated expression plastered   
on, and shook her head. She followed him with her eyes as he walked   
through the double doors out of the store.  
  
"Um, miss?"  
  
Serena jerked her head toward the woman, who was looking at   
her questioningly, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." She placed the   
shirtson the counter, and took out Darien's crisp bill as well as her   
own purse.  
  
  
  
  
"Told you I would call."   
  
As soon as she heard the voice, Serena almost dropped the   
banana she had in her hand. "Daniel." She sat down on the sofa, and   
wetted her lips, wondering what in the world would he be calling her   
for.  
  
"How did you get my phone number?" She suddenly had the urge   
to look out the window, just to see if he was out there somewhere. Then   
she decided against it.  
  
"I have my ways. Don't think you won't get my call just   
because I don't know your new number."  
  
"I'd like to have some kinda warning first."   
  
There was a chuckle on the other end. "Isn't that a little too   
harsh? So…are you doing anything tonight?"  
  
She swallowed a slight lump in her throat. "Um…I don't really   
know. Why?"  
  
"Well tomorrow the semester is starting. I was figuring maybe   
we could do something tonight to welcome it."   
  
"I don't wanna welcome it. I want summer to last forever."   
Serena suddenly thought of Darien, and how she wasn't going to see him   
as often as she liked after the semester started. Without realizing it,   
she let out a small sigh of disappointment.  
  
"It's not that bad, is it? Come on, just let me take you   
out--it'll be better by the end of tonight, I promise." His voice was   
smooth and convincing, as if he couldn't be more sure of himself.  
  
"Daniel, did you forget something?" She was baffled, at the   
way he was acting toward her, when they had just broken up two months   
ago. "We're not together anymore."  
  
"I know. But we're still friends, aren't we? And friends go   
out with each other all the time. Why is it so different for you?   
Because I'm a guy and you're a girl and we dated once upon a time?"   
  
She grew frustrated, and became annoyed at the way he was   
acting. "That was not what I meant, and you damn know it."   
  
There was a slight pause. Then, voice serious, he spoke, "You   
don't have any plans, do you? If you don't, then why not just go out   
with me? We can go to the movies, or a little restaurant, or whatever   
you like…and talk. I miss talking to you. We used to able to talk to   
each other about things all the time." His voice became lower and   
lower, as if he was trying to hold back emotions.   
  
Those last words softened her heart. Her gaze landed on the   
small lamp by the sofa, and she bit her bottom lip. "All right, Daniel.   
But it's just because I don't want us to become distant."   
  
"Great. How about I pick you up around seven or so?"   
  
"No!" She blurted out, and then quickly explained, "I mean--  
I'd rather meet you there." 'It won't seem like a date then' was   
what she wanted to add, but didn't.   
  
"Fine with me. So where are we going, exactly?"  
  
"Um…I don't know. How about that little pizza place down by   
Main Street? Papa Joe's?"   
  
"Sure. I always liked that place. I'll see you then, around   
seven."   
  
"Okay." She clicked off, and slumped down against the sofa.   
  
What was going to happen now? Daniel…Daniel…the guy she hadn't   
seen for months, just suddenly popped back into her life. And she had   
agreed to go out with him.   
  
As friends. As friends…she looked at her watch.   
  
She glanced up, and saw Darien coming out of his room, a smile   
on his face. She couldn't fight a smile back herself, so she asked,   
"Good news?" She picked up the banana again, and started to peel off   
the yellow skin.  
  
"Not really. But…I finally finished something that I had been   
working on for a long time," he answered. He grabbed Serena's hand--the   
hand that was holding the banana, and pulled it toward him. In a matter   
of seconds, he had lowered his head and taken the first bite on the   
fruit.  
  
"Hey!" Serena protested, staring at the bitten banana. She   
punched him lightly on the shoulder, and then started to eat the fruit   
herself. "Next time, don't do that," she told him before swallowing   
the food in her mouth.  
  
He purposely made a disgusted face. "Next time, YOU don't talk   
with your mouth full."  
  
"Wanna tell me what that something is?"   
  
"What?" He looked at her, his eyebrows raised.  
  
"That something you said you finished--the one you had been   
working for a long time?"  
  
"Oh!" He looked away, a half-smile on his face. "It's nothing.   
I'll show you it some time later."  
  
Serena looked at him, the banana forgotten in her hand. With that thought, she   
started to smile.   
  
He had turned his head back to her again. "What?"  
  
She shook her head, pasting on an innocent look to her face.   
"Nothing." She went back to finishing her banana.  
  
He took a look at his watch, and exhaled. "I can't believe   
there's nothing to do today. I even went SHOPPING with a girl…and   
finished a POEM…"  
  
"A poem?" Serena cut in, shocked beyond belief. In a flash,   
she recalled the time when she had went into his room and read the   
poems he had wrote in a spiral notebook. But that was…nearly a century   
ago, it seemed like.   
  
He grinned at her, rather sheepishly, and combed his hair   
with his fingers. "Is it that surprising?"   
  
She swallowed a gulp in her throat, and forced a smile on her   
face. "Of course it is!" She remarked, hoping that her voice sounded   
amazed. "I never knew a guy like you…"  
  
"Could write. Yeah…I know." He looked at her, smiling. "Well,   
now you know I do."  
  
"Can I read them?" she asked, knowing that it was what he was   
expecting her to say.   
  
"Of course not."   
  
She rolled her eyes. "Should've figured." But her heart was   
pounding, afraid that he could somehow find out from her face that she   
had read his poems before…without his permission.   
  
He shrugged, grinning from ear to ear. "It's my personal life,   
you know. And unless you're very close to me…you won't get to read it."  
  
"Which can also be said as--I won't ever read it," Serena   
remarked.   
  
"What do you mean by that?" He stared at her, eyes intense.   
  
"Nothing." She walked away from him, feeling as if she had   
said too much. She grabbed a book that Raye had left on the coffee   
table, and started to flip through it.  
  
"You don't think we'll ever be close?" His voice traveled to   
her ears, husky and questioning.  
  
She put down the book with a sigh, and looked at him straight   
in the eye. "The question is, will you ever LET us be close." She felt   
her heart hammer against her chest just waiting for his reply.  
  
He seemed to be taken back. His eyes were a swirl of   
confusion and amazement as he started to walk slowly toward her. "What   
do you mean I won't let us? It's not a question of LETTING."  
  
"Okay, you know what…never mind, okay? Forget it. You were the   
one who brought it up."   
  
"All right, all right." He went closer to her. "Are you going   
anywhere tonight?"  
  
An image of Daniel flashed before her, and she smiled, nodding   
her head, "Yeah, I am."   
  
"Oh." A flicker of disappointment flashed across his face,   
then it was quickly wiped away. "So what are you doing then?"   
  
She decided to tell him the truth. She shrugged, deliberately   
putting on a bored face. "Just out for pizza with Daniel."  
  
"I thought you two already broke up."  
  
"We did."   
  
"So why are you still going out?"  
  
"We're not."  
  
A sigh of frustration was pulled out of him. "Wanna just tell   
me everything straight out, or do I need to ask you one by one?"   
  
She couldn't resist a smile. "What I meant was, we did break   
up, but we're not GOING out, we're just HANGING out, as normal   
friends." She glanced at the clock. "Besides, I don't want him and I   
to not talk to each other just because we were boyfriend and girlfriend   
once."  
  
"Man, you are just like Lita. Have you SEEN her and Ken? They   
are still talking to each other as if they never broke up. And you   
too--saying that you want to be friends with him despite everything."   
He shook his head, and started to walk around.  
  
She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and cocked an   
eyebrow, tilting her head to one side. "So what am I supposed to do   
then?"  
  
"I don't know. All I'm saying is, when you break up with   
someone, you literally BREAK UP. You don't leave any connections. That   
way, both of you can move on nicely, without something, or someone   
else pulling on his or her leg."   
  
Serena shook her head, and looked at Darien in a different   
way. "I can't believe you can be so cold."   
  
"It's not called cold. It's what you do. So what, when two   
people supposedly break up, they actually aren't? If they are still   
going out with each other and having fun just like when they did   
BEFORE they broke up, then what's the difference of 'being together'   
and 'not being together'?" He crossed his arms also, and put his   
left leg in front of his right, the feet with its toes pointed at the   
ground.   
  
"I don't know. I guess people think differently." She said   
the last words softly, more to herself than to him.   
  
"I guess we do." He didn't say anything else after that, and   
just looked at her with an unreadable face.   
  
A door opening sound startled them both.   
  
"Hey guys! Look what I got!" Raye held up the bags she held   
in her hands, and beamed at the two people in the room. One look at   
their faces and she frowned. "What's up?"  
  
"Nothing." Serena immediately replied. She glanced at the   
clock, and started to go up the stairs. "I still need to get ready for   
the thing with Daniel tonight."  
  
Raye followed Serena with her eyes briefly, and then shot a   
quizzical glance at Darien.   
  
His face suddenly changed, as if he just thought of something.   
He lifted his head and asked with a loud voice so she could hear, "If   
it isn't a date, then why do you care how you look like?"   
  
Serena immediately stopped. She leaned against the rail,   
and looked down at him. "I'm still going outside…and I want to look   
nice." Her gaze stayed on his face a second longer, then she turned   
and walked into her room.   
  
He turned, to find two questioning faces staring right at him.   
  
"Did we miss something?"   
  
He shook his head, stuffing his hands in his shorts pockets   
as he strolled toward his room. "Not anything important."  
  
  
  
  
"…Serena?"   
  
Serena's head snapped to Daniel, and after seeing his baffled   
face, offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"  
  
Daniel looked at her, and shook his head, a half-smile on his   
lips. "You don't seem to enjoy this date very much."   
  
"No, I am, it's just--" Serena stopped midsentence. She gave   
Daniel a disapproving look, remarking, "I thought I made it clear that   
this wasn't a date."  
  
A grin broke out on his face. "Ha. Gotcha, didn't I? I was   
just checking to see if you were really paying attention to me."   
  
She sighed, unable to resist a smile. "All right, I'm sorry.   
I was just…thinking of something." She stared down at the pepperonis and cheese on her slice of   
pizza, trying hard to forget about him and concentrate on Daniel. After   
all, she WAS out with Daniel, date or no date.   
  
He smiled back at her, leaning closer to her across the small  
booth. "Are you done thinking of that yet?"  
  
"Yeah." Somehow, his smoky gray eyes didn't make her melt   
like they did before. Sure, they were still captivating, but…she didn't  
feel as if she wanted those eyes to look at her forever. Instead…she   
felt herself wishing that another pair of eyes were…blue eyes…midnight   
blue eyes…  
  
  
  
She stopped herself in time. She blinked, realizing what she   
was really thinking of. Somewhere in her brain, a little voice was   
telling her to pay attention to Daniel, the young man that was sitting   
across from her, who was talking to her right then. Yet, she couldn't   
bring herself to concentrate on him--for all over her mind, there was   
images of another person…a person who she suddenly realized she should   
be with at that moment.   
  
"You're not listening to me again."   
  
This time, his voice didn't sound teasing at all. It had a   
tone of almost…annoyance. She looked at him, and then watched as he   
slowly cleared his face, trying to make it seem as if he was just fine.   
She sat there, on the leather seat, and realized in surprise that the   
fact he was annoyed with her, did not bother her…at all; when it used   
to be that she would go into an instant panic mode and feel the most   
embarrassed.   
  
"Serena."   
  
She focused on him, on the guy that she was with this very   
minute, and parted her mouth, trying to say something. But for a whole   
minute, nothing came out. After taking a deep breath, she finally told   
him, "I'm…sorry, Daniel. I shouldn't be here with you. I shouldn't be   
anywhere with you." She stood up suddenly, almost banging her thigh   
against the table. "I-I need to go. I'm sorry…I can't." She looked at   
him one last time, and then hurried to the door.   
  
"Serena! Come back!" Daniel called after her, standing up   
also. He didn't want to make a scene, and so he stood in his place.   
He felt as if he had just failed.   
  
And as he watched her out the door and into the streets, he   
knew who had just won.   
  
  
  
  
  
Serena walked down the street, her heart pounding crazily,   
her palms sweating.   
  
She didn't know what she was doing, didn't know what she was   
going to do when she got there; she just knew she had to do this.   
  
It was the last day of summer, tomorrow was the first day of   
classes. She couldn't let the day slip by without telling what she had   
been feeling all this summer. She didn't know why she had never   
realized it--maybe she never let herself admit it, maybe she just needed   
this "date" with Daniel to actually find it out.   
  
No matter what caused her to finally know this, she was   
thankful that she did recognize it. For once, she wanted to be bold,   
to say exactly how she felt, because…  
  
She saw the house. The two-stories house that she had been   
living in most of this summer. She slowed down her pace, taking deep   
breaths to calm her, and also her heart down.   
  
She wetted her lips, trying to decide what to say, but her   
mind was such a huge mess she couldn't think clearly. She suddenly   
wondered…what if he wasn't home? What would she do then?   
  
No. He couldn't not be home. He had to feel this, too…he had   
to know. He had to be home. But…if he wasn't…Serena saddened, then it   
would be fate. Then it would mean she wasn't supposed to tell him, that   
they weren't meant to be…  
  
She was getting closer and closer. She crossed her fingers,   
inhaling and exhaling in deep breaths one last time.   
  
Her eyes adjusted in the dark night, and landed on the front   
porch of the house, then right at the door. Where she was about to go   
into in just a few seconds.  
  
Then, she stopped.   
  
She stopped so suddenly her heels made a short scratching   
sound against the pavement.   
  
He was already there. He was sitting on the ground…against   
the front door.   
  
Somehow, this seemed amazingly familiar.   
  
She couldn't see, for the fact that there wasn't any light   
shining against his face, but she knew without thinking about it, that   
he had seen her also.   
  
She was proven right, because he stood up. She felt his eyes   
on her face, and her heart thumped once again. She walked closer to   
him, gradually and carefully, step by step.   
  
She could almost feel the words on her tongue. They just   
needed to be spoken aloud.   
  
  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Aaah! Heh…does that count as a cliffhanger? ^.~ Ah well. I'm still   
gonna leave it at that part. You would not believe how many times I've   
switched from one idea to another on this part. Finally, with one last   
inspiration, I decided to write (and end) the story this way.   
  
So how about it? You do know who the "he", of the last scene of this   
part is, right? I didn't write his name, but I think most of you   
already know. Otherwise…I think I'll be too sad. And what about that  
"deja vu" feeling? Heh.  
  
Do you remember Daniel? Ha. Didn't think I would put him in the story   
again, did you? Of course I had to, otherwise why would I even mention   
him at all at the first parts of the story? (I think the exact section   
is part two. Wow…so long ago.) =D  
  
All right, enough talking. I'll leave more notes after the last part   
is completed. Now, it's your turn! Email me!! I need emails to   
continue to finish! Yes, I do admit that I want to finish this pretty   
badly, but if there are no emails, I wouldn't have anything to make me   
keep going! So send those emails in! I wanna know what you think of   
this part! I did work pretty hard on it, you know. =)   
  
=Henra.   
  
http://www6.brinkster.com/moonieround   
Go visit my website!!! 


	7. Try Me

Try me - Part 7  
By Henra  
HjMcgi@cryingmail.com  
PG rated  
  
  
So? Heh…how do you feel, about to read the very last part of this   
whole story? I absolutely LOVED writing this series. I enjoyed every   
last drop. I didn't want this series to end, but I also didn't want to   
drag the story so much that it would become pointless, either. Seven   
parts are already considered long for me--and each is like, 11 pages   
too. *takes a deep breath* And now…go on, finish Try Me. =^)   
  
Email me after you finish! Please!   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or its characters.   
  
**************  
  
He came toward her, into the light, and his eyes were so   
intense she felt as if she couldn't breathe. A half-smile was on lit   
his face, and as they both came to stand about only a foot apart, he   
glanced behind her, and suddenly frowned. "Where's your car?"   
  
Her eyes widened, and then she laughed, feeling a bit foolish.   
"I think I left it back at Papa Joe's."   
  
He grinned, shaking his head. "I'll get it for you later."   
  
She nodded, still gazing up at him. "How come you're out   
here?"   
  
"How come you're back so soon?"   
  
"Answer mine and then I'll answer yours."  
  
"Ladies go first."   
  
She glared at him, then sighed. "Why don't we go inside and   
talk there?" She started to lead the way.   
  
He stopped her, grabbing her arm gently. "I'd rather stay out   
here." He looked around, his eyes dancing. "It's breezy right now, and   
I like it outside."   
  
She thought about it for a moment, then walked back to face   
him again. She gazed at him, and moistened her lips. "Darien…" Looking   
at his face, she trailed off, changing her mind again.   
  
"Look, I gotta tell you something," he told her, a flash of   
doubt in his eyes.  
  
Her pulse quickened, and she practically choked out, "Yeah?"   
  
A slight laugh came out of his mouth, and he cleared his   
throat. "It's just that…"  
  
She stared at him, and suddenly had the urge to smile. He   
looked so unsure of himself, so not what she was used to seeing him   
like. The smile formed on her face, and a twinkle appeared in her   
eyes.   
  
He noticed it, and tilted his head. "What?"   
  
"Nothing. Keep going," she replied immediately, absently   
waving a hand in the air.   
  
He put his hands on his head, and smoothed back his hair. He   
glanced at her, and breathed out deeply. "Look. I just don't like you   
with--that Daniel."   
  
She turned her eyes away for a while, hardly able to restrain   
a smile. "Why?" she asked in a soft voice. She hadn't wanted him to   
start first, but she couldn't deny that she enjoyed this. A wave of   
joy washed over her when she thought he was going to say to her what   
she had wanted to pour out.   
  
"I just don't." He took a deep breath, and straightened up,   
his cool posture back. "It's just that…seeing you--THINKING you being   
with another guy, makes me crazy…you know?" He gently brushed a hand   
against her cheek.  
  
She felt a tingle through her body, and she smiled, wanting   
him to go on. "And why is that?"   
  
He opened his mouth, and then closed it, looking away. And   
for a long moment, he didn't say another thing. Then, in a rush,   
"Okay, this is ridiculous. I-I'm no good at this kind of things. I   
just don't like you with him. That's all." He hesitated as if waiting   
for a reaction, then stepped back. With a point of his thumb, he said,   
"I'm--I'm going to go back. There are some things I need to pack into   
my bag--for class."  
  
She stood there, a little more beyond surprised.   
Her mind was swirling a hundred miles per minute, and she wondered   
what exactly went wrong. She wanted to say a million things, wanted   
to ask him questions, and tell him--but all she got out was, "Really?"   
And she immediately winced, thinking that she had encouraged him.   
  
What was he doing, backing out suddenly? Was she crazy, or   
hadn't he really wanted to say something more just a few minutes ago?   
How could he suddenly change his mind so fast?   
  
"Yeah. I mean, class starts tomorrow," he answered, taking a   
few more steps backwards.   
  
She wanted to stop him. But she couldn't find the energy to.   
She felt as if the moment was gone--the desperate urge to confess   
everything had vanished into thin air. Felt as if just those   
discouraging words of his had drained all her power. She held back,   
and nodded. "Okay." She felt like a fool, standing there, waiting for   
his words--words that, she knew now, wouldn't ever be spoken to her.  
  
"Aren't you coming in also?" He seemed hesitant, as if   
waiting for something--waiting for her to do something.   
  
But what? She knew now she couldn't say anything anymore,   
even if she wanted to, because that would just push him away further.   
She felt an overwhelming sadness, but shoved it back. "No. Um," she   
managed a tight smile, "I left my car back at Papa Joe's, remember?"   
  
"Oh." He took a step toward her, and asked, "Do you want me   
to get it?"   
  
She thought, a bit bitterly.   
She raised her head, and shook it. "No. I'll do it myself." She turned   
her heels, and started walking back down the path.   
  
She didn't feel him coming after her, but she knew his eyes   
were on her, watching her walk down the street in the darkness. Tears   
were threatening to spill over, but she bit her lip, determined to not   
let them fall. They blurred her vision, but she did not care. She wrapped both arms   
around herself, feeling slightly chilly.   
  
After she walked for a few more minutes, and the tears had   
dried in her eyes, she suddenly felt a bit scared, along in the   
streets in the cool night. She stopped, and her heart began to pound   
nervously. This wasn't a good idea. It would be too dangerous to go   
all the way back by herself.   
  
She bit her lip, knowing that   
it was an uncontrollable urge that drove her all the way from Papa   
Joe's back here.   
  
She stood, and glanced around, not knowing what to do. "Ugh.   
I'll go back to the house." She wheeled around, and was about to   
take a step, when a car honk took her attention. She ignored it,   
and walked faster, not wanting to turn back and look.   
  
The headlights flashed twice, and then she heard a voice   
calling her name, "Serena!"   
  
She immediately stopped, turned around and waited for the   
car to stop. She recognized the voice. She just didn't know why he   
was here, after what she had done. She held her breath, waiting for   
a blow.  
  
Daniel's head popped out of the car, and then he stepped   
out, and flashed a smile when he saw her. "Hey--it's dangerous to   
walk alone during this time, you know."   
  
She managed a smile back, confused. "Daniel--why, why are you   
here?"   
  
"I don't know if it's you who's crazy, or me--but, isn't that   
your precious BMW back at Papa Joe's?"   
  
She laughed out loud, and shook her head. "And you came here   
to get me?"   
  
"Basically." He grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "Get in."   
  
She nodded, and climbed into his car. She pulled the seatbelt   
down, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry that I left in such a hurry.   
And I can't believe that you would actually care to come drive me to   
get my car." She looked at him in bewilderment.  
  
He glanced at her, and smiled. "I'm an amazing guy."   
  
She turned her eyes back to the road, and watched the red   
light flash on as the car screeched to a halt. "Thanks," she said   
softly.  
  
"No problem. I mean, I couldn't just go home, seeing your car   
parked there. Besides, I know you, Serena, I knew that you were gonna   
come get it. And it really isn't safe during this time of the night."   
  
She felt her heart soften. Yes, he did know her. They hadn't   
dated for a year for nothing. She smiled at him lightly, a thankful   
look over her eyes.  
  
The light became green, and Daniel stepped on the accelerator.   
"So, uh…what exactly happened anyway? I mean--you were rushing back   
for something. Or is it someone?" He didn't look at her, keeping his   
eyes on the road.  
  
"It's Darien."   
  
He glanced at her, seemingly surprised that she answered so   
quickly. Pulling on a careless expression, he asked, "So what   
happened?"  
  
"Nothing," she answered immediately, shifting in her seat.  
  
"Then why is your nose red?"   
  
She didn't reply. Then, she laughed softly, and shook her   
head at him. "It's frustrating when you wanna lie to someone who knows   
you too well."   
  
He laughed also, and leaned back in his seat. He let his left   
hand slip down from the wheel, and drove the car professionally with   
only his right. "Yes, so you can't squirm out of it now. Come on,   
Serena--tell me about it."  
  
She looked at him sideways, and sighed deeply. "Honestly, I   
don't know what happened, either. I HAD thought that I would go back   
to the house, and--and confess everything to him. But…I don't know,   
the moment just suddenly disappeared."   
  
"And by confessing everything, you mean…" He trailed off,   
leaving her to fill in the blank.  
  
"That I…" She stopped, unable to get out the words.   
Irritated, she leaned her head back, and blew out a huge breath of   
air. "But it doesn't matter now. Tomorrow's first day of class, and…  
looks like nothing's gonna happen tonight."  
  
"Aww, now I'm insulted. You're with me, all right? We can   
still go somewhere and celebrate the end of summer." He flashed a   
brief grin at her, in a boyish way.  
  
She couldn't help but smile back. She looked at the digital   
clock in the car. "But it's almost nine. I wanna go home and get some   
sleep. I have to wake up early tomorrow."   
  
"Come on, Serena! You used to be all play and little work!   
What happened? Don't tell me this summer changed you that much." He   
flashed on his left blinker, and turned to drive into Papa Joe's   
parking lot.   
  
"I'm just tired. Besides, I have my car here, remember? Where   
can we go if we're driving two different cars?" She got out of the car   
after he turned off the engine, and fished out her car keys from her   
bag.   
  
He locked his car and followed her to her BMW. Before she   
inserted her key into the door, he stopped her by placing a hand on   
her arm. "Then leave it here. We'll go somewhere in my car, and we'll   
come pick up your car later."   
  
She turned fully to look at him. A slow, exasperated smile   
formed on her face, and she shook her head. "You and your crazy ideas.   
How can I forget them?"   
  
He grinned, his eyes dancing into hers. "So come on, what do   
you say? There are only a few more hours until summer vacation is   
literally over."   
  
She stared down at the ground, smiling as she thought about   
it. What was Darien doing at this moment? She shut her eyes tightly,   
remembering what happened. She forced the thought to the back of her  
mind. Daniel was here. And after the way that she had ditched him at   
Papa Joe's, she knew she had to make it up to him somehow. She raised   
her head, and exhaled largely. "So where are we off to?"   
  
  
  
  
Darien threw down his notebook in frustration, and sat down on   
his bed heavily. He ran a hand through his hair, and looked at the   
watch on his left wrist. Serena still wasn't back yet. He looked   
through the open door out to the living room and sighed.   
  
What the hell had he been thinking, letting her wander into   
the dark like that? Why hadn't he stopped her? He grunted, and got up   
to walk out of his room. He glanced up to look at Serena's door, and   
it was opened, no light coming from inside. And he knew that she wasn't   
in anyway, because he had been keeping an eye on the door ever since   
he came in.   
  
He had told her that he would get the car for her. But   
afterwards, he had felt that she wouldn't want him to drive her car,   
and so he left her to get it herself. He grew annoyed, at himself and  
at her. He knew she had wanted to say something, too--but she had held   
back also. Also. Meaning, he didn't exactly tell her what he had in   
mind, either.  
  
He sighed. He stood by the front door, and pushed away the   
heavy drapes to look out the street. There was no sign of her. Did it   
take this long to walk to Papa Joe's and DRIVE back with a car?   
  
Suddenly, his eyes widened in alarm. But it WOULD take this   
long, and even longer, if something had happened. His heart started   
to race in nervousness, but then he told himself to shake out of it.   
Serena was a strong girl, and nothing was going to happen to her.   
  
But still, he resisted the urge to race out and start a   
search for her. It wasn't his style, and it certainly wouldn't help   
if Serena knew just how much he really cared for her.   
  
He went still. Why would it matter? Didn't he want her to   
know that he cared about her?   
  
  
  
At this realization, he suddenly remembered the words he had   
told Serena. 'When you break up with someone, you literally BREAK UP.   
You don't leave any connections.' He turned away from the window, and   
leaned against it, sighing in frustration. Those words were what had   
stopped him. He knew, from every single girlfriend he had ever had,   
that if he and Serena broke up, he was not going to leave any strings   
dangling in the air.   
  
But they were roommates. And neither he nor she should move   
out of the house just because HE wanted a clean breakup after they  
broke up. And he didn't want her out of his life forever. He liked her   
presence, liked knowing that she was just a holler away, and he could   
see her anytime he wanted.   
  
And what was he thinking about, anyway? A clean breakup--  
they weren't even together.   
  
He smiled unconsciously, but his thoughts led to the clock   
again. 11:47. She had been gone for almost three hours. He started   
to pace around, his brows knotted in a deep frown.   
  
A light abruptly shined in through the window, and he   
immediately went to open the door. He saw Serena's BMW pull up to the   
driveway, and he sighed in relief. So she was home. Suddenly, he had   
a million questions to ask her, and one of them the most important--  
where had she gone?   
  
Then, realizing that he was still standing at the door   
staring, he quickly went back inside, but left the door open. He   
figured that she had already seen him anyway. He sat down on the   
couch, and randomly picked out a magazine to look through from the   
piles that lay underneath the glass table.   
  
Serena came in. He watched her from the corner of his eye as   
she took off her shoes, and proceeded into the kitchen. His eyes were   
on the magazine, but he was fully focused on her movements.   
  
She walked out with an apple in her hand. He remarked   
casually, flipping a page with his right thumb and index finger. "I   
thought you just went to get your car."  
  
She stopped, and he felt her eyes on him--burning into him.   
"I did. But I met Daniel on the way, and we went somewhere."   
  
He felt his blood run cold just at the mention of Daniel's   
name. He cleared his throat, but didn't look up. "Oh really? You   
must've had a nice time."  
  
"I did." There was a challenging tone in her voice, and he   
heard the crisp sound of her teeth biting into the apple.   
  
"You should really get some sleep. You told me that you have   
an early class tomorrow."   
  
"It's none of your business as to when I'm going to bed."   
  
At that, he raised his brows and looked at her. Her cheeks   
were flushed, and her eyes were sharp, as if expecting a fight. He   
wondered what was wrong. Keeping his voice relaxed, he said, "Why the   
sudden defensiveness? I was just watching out for you."   
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. That's why you let me walk into the dark   
streets all by myself," she said bitingly, deliberately emphasizing   
the word "myself."   
  
He stopped himself from flinching. "Well, nothing happened   
to you, right? And besides, you had Daniel meet up with you halfway.   
And if I had went with you, what would he have thought?"   
  
"You--" She stopped suddenly, and took a deep breath. "Never   
mind, okay? I am sleepy, and I am going to take a shower and then go   
to sleep."   
  
"Good girl," he couldn't help but add with a smile. He saw   
her stiffen, then watched as she climbed up the flight of stairs to   
the second floor. As soon as she went into her room and shut the door,   
he breathed out deeply. So maybe he hadn't welcomed her with friendly   
arms. But at least she was home, and he found out where she went.  
  
With Daniel. His expression hardened, and he muttered the   
name with disgust.  
  
  
  
  
"God, could he have been any MORE careless?" Serena fumed,   
and slammed her bag down on the desk. She narrowed her eyes, and   
threw up her hands. "I have been gone for three hours, dammit, and he   
acted like it was nothing!"   
  
She had came home, hoping that he would be waiting for her,   
because she thought he would be worried. And when she saw him standing   
at the door when she drove her car up the driveway, she felt she could   
burst. But no--of course he was just standing there because he saw   
someone coming.   
  
She had gone practically crazy with Daniel tonight. They went   
to the amusement park, and she nearly threw up all she had today on   
the roller coasters. She had never felt so dizzy in all her life.   
Daniel was good company, there was a close bond between them, and   
she felt at ease being with him. But she couldn't quite bring herself   
to actually ENJOY everything, especially when her mind was all on   
Darien. She hated the fact that she couldn't push him out of her   
mind, and she was so annoyed by it she didn't even know that nearly   
three hours had sped by.   
  
And she got even more irritated to find him sitting   
comfortably on the couch, reading a MAGAZINE when she walked in   
the front door. As if he couldn't be more relaxed about the fact   
that she took MUCH longer than expected to drive back her car. She   
knew she shouldn't have gotten so defensive, but she didn't know   
how to act when he behaved like that.   
  
"What did I expect him to do, anyway? Sweep me off my feet   
and tell me how worried he had been?" A bitter look formed on her   
face, and she buried her head in her hands. Her mind went back to   
a few hours before, when they had both stood in front of the house,   
and she had been one second away from baring her heart to him. She   
wondered what happened that made them turn back to practically how   
they were before, when she had first moved in.   
  
She shook her head. "I can't get worked up over this. Class   
starts tomorrow, and I cannot start my fall semester with a head full   
of unnecessary thoughts."   
  
She sat down on her bed, and bounced up on the mattress   
because she had dropped down so solidly. She kicked her feet, and   
then felt like laughing at the fact that she was acting like a child.   
With a groan, she fell back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.   
Her head felt slightly dizzy, and she glanced over at the clock on   
her nightstand. Her eyes widened, and she immediately sat up. "I   
need to take a shower."  
  
She grabbed her night jersey from the chair and walked out   
of the room. "And that remark about Daniel! Did he think I planned   
on meeting Daniel or something?"   
  
  
  
  
Raye walked into the kitchen the next morning, yawning and   
stretching at the same time.   
  
Chad grinned when he saw her, and said, "I would kiss you,   
but I'm afraid you have bad breath."   
  
She rolled her eyes, and deliberately opened her mouth wide,   
huffing out air. "I already brushed my teeth, and washed my face.   
And combed my hair, AND put on decent clothes--and you're not   
helping."  
  
"I didn't know what am I supposed to help with."  
  
"It's first day of class, stupid! Luckily my class starts   
later, otherwise I have to be up and running around like Serena's   
doing in her room." She went over to Chad, and they shared a short   
kiss. She smiled, and took out a slice of bread from the bag that   
was already sitting on the counter. Covering it with peanut butter,   
she asked, "Darien's still in his room?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess. He's not in the living room."   
  
"Oh, okay."   
  
Serena appeared abruptly, panting. "I am gonna be so late   
for my first class! I can't believe it! I'm POSITIVE I had set my   
alarm at 6:45 yesterday night, but it didn't ring until 7:05! Dammit!   
Ugh!" She half-ran to where Raye was, and grabbed a piece of bread   
from the loaf.  
  
Raye met Chad's eyes across the room, and they both shook   
their heads, smiling. "I guess this is the real Serena after summer   
vacation," she said to no one in particular.  
  
Serena finished her one piece of bread in such a hurry that   
Raye thought she was gonna suffocate. Then, after she clearly   
swallowed everything, she asked, "How do I look?"   
  
Raye surveyed Serena's clothes--a black sleeveless V-neck   
tee, a pair of baggy green Camouflage pants which hung down low,   
baring her flat and smooth midriff. Her hair was separated into   
two long blond braids, which draped down in the front. Raye smiled,   
and replied, "Looks nice--very much like you're going to be training   
in the army. Let me guess--you threw on the first outfit you put   
together?"   
"Yeah," Serena grinned, and grabbed a glass from the cabinet.   
"I thought black fitted rather well with camouflage." She poured juice   
into it, and gulped it down in one swallow. "All right, all right,   
bye you people. Be thankful that you don't have classes early like   
me." She placed the glass down on the counter before hurrying out of   
the kitchen, "Thanks for washing the glass for me!"   
  
Raye rolled her eyes as the front door slammed shut. "What   
time's your class?" she asked, focusing her attention back on Chad.   
  
"It doesn't start until after 12*. So I got plenty of time,"   
he answered, smiling lazily.  
  
*:: (A.N. I'm not in college, but I've heard that people's class   
times could start differently, depending on what classes they take.   
If I'm wrong, though, tell me but please don't blame me. ^-^)   
  
"I wonder why Serena wants to take a class early, anyway.   
From what I know so far, I'm sure that she doesn't like waking up   
early." She shook her head, and then took Serena's glass from the   
counter. She proceeded over to the sink, and turned on the faucet.   
  
"I don't know her any more than you do," he stated.  
  
She finished rinsing the glass, and she placed it back to   
the cabinet, then turned around to face him. "And I also wonder   
what's keeping Serena and Darien from being together already. They   
had like, the entire summer, yet they still can't find that simple   
string to pull them together."   
  
He sighed, nodding. "I know what you mean. They seem to fit   
each other so well, yet it's amazing how they can't find their way   
there."   
  
"It would be perfect if they would get together. We can go   
on double dates and--"  
  
"Excuse me?" Darien's voice interrupted her, and Raye froze   
instantly. He came into the kitchen, looking both sleep-deprived and   
irritated. "What the hell are you talking about?"   
  
"Nothing. Nothing you would care about, anyway."   
  
He glared at her, then looked away, his eyes on the food   
placed on the counter. "I'm gonna go get washed up." He yawned and   
then made his way out.   
  
Chad made a face, and laughed out loud. "That was close."   
  
Raye crossed her arms, staring blankly out to the living   
room. "Actually, I want Darien to hear me. He needs to get some sense   
knocked into him."  
  
"Yeah, I agree," Chad commented, "Usually he's very quick   
on getting girls--I wonder what's keeping him in this case."  
  
She turned her head to glare at him. "That's because Serena   
isn't like any other girl! I can't believe you would even think of   
comparing Serena to all the others girls Darien's dated and dumped!"   
She sighed, and a thoughtful look came over her eyes. "I think he's   
very intrigued by her."   
  
"I'll admit that much. But, this is for sure--" Chad stood   
up, and wrapped his arms around Raye. "He's not as lucky as I am."   
He grinned down at her, causing her to blush deeply.  
  
She wrinkled her nose at him, but smiled back pleasantly.  
  
  
  
  
Serena held up her left wrist and looked at her watch. Boy,   
was she starving. The hectic schedule of college classes was taking a   
little time to adjust to again. She stepped forth in line, and smiled   
back at the person who stood behind the counter. "Hello. Can I have a   
blueberry muffin, and a bag of that kind of chips over there, please."   
She pointed with a finger toward the stack that was placed to the   
right.   
  
"Is that all?" the girl asked, punching in some numbers into   
the machine.   
  
"Uh…how about a Pepsi, too--medium," Serena added, feeling   
the thirst in her throat.   
  
"All right. That'll be five dollars and seventy-five cents."   
  
She nodded, and took out her purse from the knapsack on her   
shoulder. She paid the amount, and waited for her food. A sudden yawn   
pried her mouth open, and she immediately covered a hand over it,   
embarrassed. She didn't know why she kept on yawning. Perhaps it was   
because it was the first day, and she was not used to taking classes   
so early in the morning.   
  
She found an empty table, and as soon as she sat down, she   
heard someone shout her name. Surprised, she turned toward the voice,   
and was speechless when she saw Daniel. She managed a friendly smile, and waved him over. "Hey!   
Grabbing some quick lunch also?"   
  
Daniel grinned, and surveyed the food on the table. "Whoo!   
Not eating so healthily now, are we?"   
  
She looked down, and felt a small pang of guilt, but   
quickly brushed it away. "At least I'm not having ice cream--you   
should check out all the orders that were made before me in line."   
  
He laughed, shaking his head. "Gosh, it's hot, isn't it?"   
He eyed her soda.  
  
She rolled her eyes, and pushed it forward. "If you're   
thirsty, take a drink--but don't finish it all, please," she added,   
remembering the times before when he had finished her food without   
permission.  
  
He gladly took the drink, and swallowed a few gulps before   
putting it down on the table, smiling broadly. "Thanks, I owe you."   
  
"Now how about marching over there and order some food for   
yourself before you begin to form ideas on mine?"   
  
He raised an eyebrow, and placed his elbows down on the   
table, his eyes glinting. "How about you go out to dinner with me   
tonight?"   
  
Again, she was flabbergasted. Looking at him with widened   
eyes, she forced a laugh after a few seconds, "You're joking right?   
We just spent a night together yesterday."  
  
"And yet I still haven't had enough." He grinned, "Come on,   
Serena--just a small dinner somewhere. I'll take you to my favorite   
place."   
  
She straightened up, and moistened her lips. "Daniel…what   
is this? I thought we broke up two months ago, and even though we   
decided to stay friends--two nights in a row? I don't think so."   
  
The grin slipped off his face, and he cleared his throat.   
"We're CLOSE friends, Serena, and close friends do go out with each   
other very frequently. And I really…miss you."  
  
She stayed silent, and stared at him, her expression   
unyielding.  
  
"Fine, then--if you don't want it tonight, then how about   
tomorrow night? Or if you prefer--this weekend? I just want a small   
meal with you, you know--the one I didn't claim yesterday?"  
  
Her lips twitched. It was just like him, trying to make her   
feel guilty and give in. She sighed exasperatedly. "We already went   
to the amusement park together. And besides, Daniel, a dinner is   
okay, but I don't like the idea of this dinner. If you're trying to   
make us get back together again…it's not gonna work."  
  
"I wasn't, but just out of curiosity--why won't it work?"  
  
She smiled. "Because I don't like you anymore. And I don't   
know why you're doing this, but I do know that it isn't because   
you've fallen madly back in love with me again."  
  
He opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again, his   
gaze sliding down.   
  
"I do think that we should stay friends--good friends, but…  
come on, you can't seriously tell me that it won't be a date if you   
ask me out a second time."   
  
He sighed, and then stared at her, an admiral look in his   
eyes. "You always seem to get to the bottom of things. I don't know   
how you do it--especially when other girls are so easy to lie to."  
  
She felt slightly hurt, hearing him confess that he had,   
indeed, lied to her. But she started to eat her muffin, and brushed   
the feeling away.   
  
"All right, then--I'm gonna get going now. Looks like I won't   
be seeing you again soon." He stood up from the table, a smile on his   
face.  
  
She swallowed the food in her mouth, and smiled back,   
extending her arms. "You can always call me and ask me out to   
movies--with a group."   
  
He hugged her, replying, "Of course, I wouldn't think   
otherwise."   
  
"All right, all right. Now leave me to finish my lunch--my   
stomach is growling like crazy."  
  
He laughed, and pulled away, stepping back. Then, the grin   
disappeared, and he said in a sincere voice, "I hope that Darien guy   
knows what he's got."   
  
She was taken back. Before she could think of something to   
respond with, he smiled at her again and went out, pushing back the   
glass doors. She sat down on her chair once more, and held the   
half-eaten muffin to her mouth.   
  
  
  
  
"Aaah! Home sweet home!" Raye exclaimed immediately after   
she closed the front door. She took off her sandals, and fell down   
on the couch, stretching elatedly. "Anybody home?" She waited for an   
answer. Then, when she was left with no reply, she frowned and sat up.  
"Chad? Serena?" She looked at the clock, and murmured, "That's a   
surprise. Darien has to work at the store, but at least Serena or   
Chad should be home."   
  
She got up, and was prepared to go upstairs when the door   
suddenly swung open. She looked back, and saw a tired face of Serena's   
staring back at her. "Serena!" She hurried to Serena's side, and put   
an arm around her. "You look exhausted! What happened?"  
  
Despite the fatigue clearly displayed on her face, Serena   
smiled--a rare, full one, which caused her eyes to light up brightly.   
"I stayed at the library after my last class, and I didn't realize   
that I was so tired until I had practically cracked my head on the   
table--I was dozing off."   
  
"And the reason that you're so happy is because…?" Raye   
smiled back, but arched her eyebrows suspiciously.  
  
"I got a call from Mina!"   
  
"Mina?"  
  
"Yes!" Serena grinned, and happiness danced in her eyes as   
she pushed back strands of hair. "My cell phone rang just as I almost   
fell asleep--I forgot to turn it off. And so of course, I had to go   
outside to take it. But it was worth it! She's coming to visit over   
winter break! Can you believe it?"  
  
"Yeah…that's great." Raye couldn't help but feel a twinge of   
jealousy as she watched how ecstatic Serena was over the news. But   
almost immediately, she scolded herself. Quickly, she grinned back, and,   
to push away her guilt, she said, "Don't worry--the months will pass   
by so soon you won't even have time to blink an eye before it's   
winter break."   
  
Serena looked at Raye, and then threw her arms around her.   
"How did you know I was just getting to worry over that? Thanks,   
Raye--for assuring me."  
  
"Of course. What are friends for?"   
  
A sharp slam of the front door startled them both. They   
pulled away, and fastened their eyes on Darien. "What, no welcoming   
parties?"   
  
Raye was the first to speak. "Have you eaten yet?"   
  
"No. Why?" He kicked off his shoes, tossed his backpack down,   
and went into the kitchen.   
  
Hearing the faucet running, Serena suddenly recalled   
Daniel's words. 'I hope that Darien guy knows what he's got.'   
Involuntarily, she blushed, and then became frustrated that those   
words affected her.   
  
Darien came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands with a   
paper towel.   
  
"Well, since it's so late--and we haven't gotten anything to   
eat, I thought we would go out and grab something to eat." Raye   
looked back and forth between Serena and Darien, waiting for   
agreement.   
  
"What about Chad?" Serena asked, realizing that there was   
one person missing out of the four that lived in the house.   
  
"Well then…let's have a delivery."   
  
"I second to that." Darien held up a hand.   
  
Serena shrugged. "Fine. I'm going upstairs first--I'm gonna   
take a shower." She got up and took her knapsack off the floor,   
taking it with her.   
  
"Speaking of it, you should scrub extra hard--you look   
tired," Darien remarked with a smirk, looking at her closely.  
  
"Thanks for noticing. But I don't think scrubbing is gonna   
help," Serena replied dryly.   
  
His eyes stayed with her until her form disappeared behind   
the door of her bedroom. He looked back at Raye, and ignored the smile   
in her eyes as she crossed her arms, her eyebrow raised. "Well. I'll   
order the pizza--combo topping, if that's possible." He strode to the   
phone, and picked up the receiver.   
  
  
Serena came out of her bedroom, freshened up, the tiredness   
wiped away from her face. She put on a smile, sniffing the delicious   
smell of hot pizza in the air. She walked slowly down the stairs, and   
when she was in the kitchen, she smiled and asked, "You guy didn't   
finish everything, did you?"  
  
"How can you think of us being so low? Of course not!" Chad   
motioned for her to sit down.   
  
She laughed, and said, "Hey, Chad."   
  
"Well, why don't you tell her about your assignment, Chad?   
Maybe Serena could help you," Raye looked at him, encouraging with her   
eyes.   
  
Serena cocked an eyebrow, and asked, while picking up a slice   
of pizza. "What is it?"  
  
"I'm supposed to pick a poem and research on it--the author   
and all. I know it's supposed to be easy--but, really, I just don't   
know where to start. There are so many poems in the library, and I   
can't go through all of them, one by one, to find one that I like."   
  
"Why can't you just borrow a couple of books of poetry, and   
then read through those? There's bound to be at least ONE that you'll   
like," Darien said, his hand at the pizza box for his second slice.  
  
"Yeah--that's what I would suggest, too. But then, why you   
need to ask me if he already answered your question?" Serena asked,   
puzzled.   
  
"Raye told me that you used to love reading poems--and had   
copied some down on a notebook, so I was thinking, maybe you could   
recommend some--and I can do a research on one," Chad answered.   
  
"I have lots of poems that I like--but I'm not so sure that   
you'll like them too."  
  
"Well, if you really like them, then I don't think that   
they're going to be totally distasting to me."   
  
Serena nodded, and smiled. "Then, of course. I'll look up   
some after we finish eating."   
  
Chad grinned, relief flooding his face. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem." Serena bit into her piece of pizza, and a   
thought occurred to her. "What about you, Darien? You write poems,   
so there's bound to be poems that you know and like, too--that you   
can recommend to him." She smiled innocently at the rising pinkness   
of Darien's cheeks.  
  
"You write? I didn't know that!" Chad exclaimed, shocked   
beyond belief.   
  
"Yeah, well, so I do. What's so surprising about that?"   
  
Without missing a beat, Serena replied, "Nothing, except   
that you actually write pretty good, too. 'A kiss in a dream, does   
it mean anything?' Very poetic, I assure--" Suddenly her face went   
white, as she realized what she had let slip out.   
  
The words were not lost on him, as his eyes sharpened, and   
pierced into hers directly. "What did you just say?"   
  
Her heart was pounding nervously, the sound so loud that   
she knew practically everyone could hear it. "Wha-what do you mean?"   
  
The muscles on his face were tense, and his eyes held hers   
evenly as he asked, "How do you know about those two lines?" His   
voice was controlled, leveled but demanding.  
  
All the blood rushed out of her face, and she swallowed   
nervously. God, what had she done now? He was going to find out now,   
that she had sneaked into his bedroom and read his poems. She felt   
as if she was going to faint. He would hate her! She knew he hated   
anyone who pried into his privacy--he would hate her so much that,   
judging by his temper, he wouldn't ever speak to her again. She bit   
her lip, bit down on it so hard that she almost cried out   
immediately.   
  
"Uh…I'm going to catch that show on TV…come with me, Chad,"   
Raye said quietly, realizing that the two needed to be left alone.   
She got up from the stool, and pinched Chad lightly as she turned   
around toward the living room.   
  
Chad immediately took the hint, and stood up quickly, taking   
his plate and pizza with him. He looked back at the other two once,   
about to say something, but, realizing that they weren't even paying   
attention to him or Raye, he snapped his mouth shut and silently   
walked out.   
  
By now, Darien had put down the slice of his pizza in his   
hand, and made his way around the counter to stand before Serena.   
"Answer me," he commanded, his tone firm.   
  
She couldn't glance up, but she noticed that his hands were   
curled into fists, shaking at his sides. She cringed, and wondered   
how the day had grown into this. She had been so happy, when Mina had   
called, and now, when she thought she would just share a warm   
pizza-meal with her roommates, she had to immediately turn stupid and  
make a slip of the tongue. She hoped that her voice sounded clear as   
she spoke, "Why are you so worked up? I just--hey, I had the dream,   
too, you know--it's not surprising that you used it to write a poem   
on."   
  
"You repeated the exact same words that I had written down.   
That's not even called a coincidence. Tell me the truth--how do you   
know about them?"   
  
She clenched her teeth, and told herself to gain control of   
her body. She slowly looked up, raising her eyes to his, determined   
not to let him notice the unsteadiness that she was unable to   
conceal perfectly.   
  
He smirked, but his eyes did not move from her face. "Come   
on, Serena, I'm not going anywhere. I live here, remember? So don't   
think you can wiggle your way out of explaining."   
  
"I wasn't thinking of trying to 'wiggle my way out' of it."   
  
"Good, then. Give me the explanation."   
  
"Well," she started, her mind working furiously, trying to   
make up something that she hoped would convince him. "Raye mentioned   
it to me the other day, when we were talking." She widened her eyes,   
desperately hoping that she looked innocent, "She liked that poem,   
and she quoted it for me."  
  
"Really? Raye quoted the poem?"   
  
"Yes." She almost smiled, hearing the slight belief in his   
voice. "And believe me, she really thinks that you've done a good   
job on it…although you haven't finished it." She tried to smile, but   
found her face muscles were too tight to move.   
  
"Okay. But tell me this," The corners of his lips lifted up   
slightly, forming a half-smile on his face. "Why did Raye leave the   
room? Shouldn't she defend you when I asked you how you knew?"   
  
She forced herself to relax, knowing that she wouldn't get   
anywhere if she were nervous. "I don't know." She lifted her chin,   
looking at him defiantly. "Maybe she didn't want to be trapped and   
investigated, like me right now."   
  
He smiled, and shook his head, a light dancing in his eyes.   
"Am I that scary?"   
  
"Oh no, of course not." She added just the right of sarcasm   
into the words.   
  
"You know you might've convinced me with that little lie, if   
not for the fact that Raye hasn't even read my poems."   
  
She sucked in her breath, stunned. She hadn't expected this.   
Grasping at last hope, she began, "Are you sure? Maybe you have shown   
her, you know, and don't remember it--"  
  
"Liar, liar, pants on fire." He said the words lightly, but   
they stopped her cold. He leaned in close, so close that she could   
smell his breath--of delicious cheese. She winced, but held his gaze,   
determined not to look away. "I haven't shown my poems to anyone, and   
I always thought that no one knew what I wrote…until now." He inched   
closer, his face so near she could only focus on his blue eyes, all   
the other parts a blur.  
  
Her heart was hammering wildly, but she forced herself to sit   
still, absolutely resolute to not let him catch her at even a second   
of weakness. She gazed into his eyes, and her mind worked furiously,   
trying to come up with some kind of explanation to give to him when   
he asked what she knew he was going to ask.   
  
"You're not very good at lying, you know," he continued, "You   
are much too fidgety, and unlike yourself. Maybe you should practice   
some more before you try to convince me of something."  
  
As she looked at his cocky expression, anger rose in her.   
She couldn't stand it when anyone thought he or she knew everything   
there was about her. And the way that he looked did not mend the   
situation, either. "Don't you dare tell me that I'm lying when it was   
YOU who wouldn't tell me the truth!" she blurt out before she could   
stop herself.   
  
A surprise look came over his face, but he tilted his head,   
interested. "Really? Would you care to explain that? And please, be   
honest this time."   
  
That last added sarcasm gave her the final push she needed.   
Her cheeks flushed, and the words poured out, one after another, with   
her unable to control them. "Yesterday night, in front of the house--  
I KNOW that you were trying to tell me something, trying to confess   
something--but you chickened out at the last moment. And just for the   
record, I also had something to confess, but you ruined the moment--  
I don't know if you did that on purpose or not, but that destroyed   
everything! I so wanted to tell you, to come clean with my heart, but   
you--you just ended it cold. You crushed my hopes, even though only   
god knows why I even HOPED for something that I TOLD myself over and   
over and OVER again--would never happen." She took a deep breath, and   
said lastly, taking in his shocked expression, "You wanted truth,   
and I gave it to you."   
  
He was speechless. He had never been caught speechless   
practically his whole life. And yet, here he was, his mind not even   
trying to form words, for it knew that it would take at least a   
minute before he overcame his surprise.  
  
Her breaths came quick, and she held her heart in her   
throat, desperately hoping that he wouldn't insult her. Wouldn't   
laugh at her and tell her that she had imagined it all. She frowned   
slightly, because just a few minutes before, she had been so sure of   
what--at least, what would've happened last night; but now, looking   
at him, at the shock conveyed on his face, she felt that her hands   
were actually trembling.   
  
It seemed like a century before he at last replied, "You're   
right."   
  
"Right?" She forced the word out, uncomprehending.   
  
"I did want to tell you something last night--because I   
nearly went crazy thinking of you and that Daniel being together. I   
couldn't stand it in the house, so I went out to wait for you to   
come back."   
  
She sighed, partly from relief and partly from joy. "And?"  
  
His gaze slipped down, and he said the words in a way as if   
recalling a foggy dream, "And you came. Almost as immediately as I   
sat my butt down on the pavement. I had nearly burst with happiness   
when I recognized you walking. And there was that…that look in your   
eyes, as if you knew exactly what I was gonna say."   
  
She felt as if she couldn't breathe. She shakily nodded,   
well aware that he was now staring right into her eyes, the same   
intensity in them that she had seen last night. "I guess it was   
because I was going to say the exact words."   
  
"Really?" His voice was especially soft.   
  
She could only nod, for she couldn't find her voice at the   
moment.   
  
He stepped closer, and touched a hand to her face, his   
thumb softly caressing her left cheek. "Wanna tell me now?"   
  
"Why should I go first?" A smile tugged at her lips as she   
asked teasingly.  
  
"Because…" he trailed off, moving to close the last distance   
between their feet. He leaned in so close that she now had to raise   
her head to meet his eyes. He brushed away some of her bangs with his   
right hand, while his left hand circled her waist, pulling her up   
against him.   
  
She waited, wanting the moment to last forever. Was this how   
it felt like to be in the arms of the person that one desired the most?   
She resisted the urge to close her eyes, somehow thinking that if she   
did, she would open her eyes to find that it was all a dream.   
  
"Because you love me," he said at last.   
  
She raised wide eyes to his, and began to protest, "No I   
don't!" But she couldn't evade the slow smile that was beginning to   
form on her lips. "You just think you know everything, don't you?"   
  
"Well," he placed his lips close to her forehead, barely   
touching, and whispered softly, "Not everything. But I'm sure as hell   
right about this."   
  
She laughed, and leaned into him, a faint blush covering her   
cheeks. Somehow, she felt a bit uncomfortable at the fact that he knew   
before she was certain. Determined to not let him have the upper hand,   
she demanded, "What about you?"   
  
"Me what?" He kissed her forehead, brushing his lips against   
her skin delicately.   
  
A thought occurred to her suddenly, and she asked instead,   
with a slight frown on her face, "Why did you stop yesterday night?"   
  
She heard him sigh, and she waited patiently, knowing he was   
going to come clean sooner or later. He pulled back, and held his two  
hands at her shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. "Because I   
was afraid."  
  
Now she was confused. Her frown deepened, and she asked   
quizzically, "Afraid of what?"  
  
"You're going to think I'm heartless."  
  
"Oh yeah? Try me."   
  
"I was…I was afraid that if we breakup--I'll have to push   
you out of my life forever."   
  
Her face cleared as she understood, and she shook her head   
slightly. "Darien. We're in college right now--and college is   
supposed to be a time where people experience things. Do things,   
RISK things…just because you don't want any 'strings dangling',   
doesn't mean that I have to disappear from your eyesight."  
  
"But it'll pain me if I see you."  
  
"Why are talking about this anyway? It's so depressing.   
Besides, we're not even together, and you're talking about what's   
gonna happen after we break up. Isn't that a little ridiculous?"   
  
He chuckled, but nodded sheepishly. He hugged her close   
again, his head against hers. "You're right. But not about one   
thing--we ARE together now."   
  
She raised an eyebrow, and leaned back to look up at him,   
laughter in her eyes. "And when, may I ask, did we decide on that?"   
  
"Just now."   
  
She laughed, and her arms circled his neck. "I can already   
see what I am in for."   
  
"Oh really?" He touched her cheek softly.  
  
"Yeah. And you know--you haven't even admitted it yet."  
  
"Admit what?"   
  
"You know fully too well what I'm talking about. Admit it,   
now."   
  
"All right, all right. But you gotta kiss me first."   
  
"Darien…!"   
  
  
**************  
  
And it's finished! During this time of one year ago I started this,   
and now a year later I get to finish this. Ha!  
  
*sighs contently and kicks back* My second complete series out of the   
seven that are out. *grunts* I am so far away from halfway done, even.   
  
Please drop me a line! Or lines! Just tell me what you think! =D  
Visit my website at http://www6.brinkster.com/moonieround  
  
Try Me is done! Aaahhh… 


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